Japan Top 12 and WTTC 2019 Trial, 3/2-3

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

@vlad celler

Yoshimura Maharu, Oshima and Hayata have a good chance to be in some doubles. Hayata is 100% sure as a consolation I believe. Yoshimura in XD to defend his World Crown, and I believe Oshima will be paired with Morizono in Men's Doubles

 

[BlueScr33n]

I'm still upset and grieving about the Hayata's Hina tripping. She had several match points, how can one match decide about your overall condition and predisposition to perform. She was one of the 3 (in recent history) Japanese players to beat the top CNT member ... Can not understand the JNT. So the wild card was released before the top 12? Can't get my head around this ...
I will need to take a picture with Hayata (if she's going to be in Budapest for wd or md) for some form of consolation ... ech ...

While I am unhappy too about her failure to qualify, it is not simply this one match. Hayata underperformed last year, this is what cost her the most. She dropped a lot in the rankings, probably lost a lot of confidence in herself and from her coaches. Although I agree that a single elimination knockout tournament for deciding one of 5 spots is not a good idea. Some kind of a round robin tournament (aka marvelous 12 would be better suited if you ask me). And of course deciding for a wild card before all slots are filled seems like a rather strange choice.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

she was injured most of last year

 

[Sali]

Hayata did not just beat LSW in Portugal.
She is 11-0 in TLeague with some very good wins
She won 10 straight matches in round 1 of qualifying dropping just 1 set (to Kato)
She won in Portugal...
Before losing to Kato, the only match she lost in recent times was her SF to ITO (0-4) in National Championships

Besides LSW, among her victims during her run: ISHIKAWA (total domination), SUH Hyowon, LEE Hoching, FENG Tianwei, CHENG I-CHING, and all Japanese B-team... dropping very few sets.

I think its very very impressive but that one match brings a terrible result...

KATO may deserve her win, but 100% sure HAYATA is by far the stronger player, i think she is N2 in Japan now after ITO

But she lost the only game that mattered because of the pressure. she was 2 sets up, Kato didn't exist and then she started showing nervousness. And she choked at 10-5 in the decider... and now her career might be already over at 18 ? if not over, its taking a huge hit

Its almost as if the JNT staff made everything to make sure she isn't in the team

Hayata is no 2, Ito is no 1, so Ishikawa who win this elimination tournament beating Ito is no 3??? or maybe even worse?
Hayata lost 4 sets to Kato not just one 7th set, anyway it was quite close match if you take whole games.
I am not Hayata hater or Ishikawa lover. Somehow I like Japan and I wish them to beat China. So they should send best players, if there are 3 players I would send hayata together with ishikawa and ito. But wining one tour in portugal doesn't make her better then others. She is still very young and there are a lot of international tours this year, where she can prove her skills.

 

[jawien]

While I am unhappy too about her failure to qualify, it is not simply this one match. Hayata underperformed last year, this is what cost her the most. She dropped a lot in the rankings, probably lost a lot of confidence in herself and from her coaches. Although I agree that a single elimination knockout tournament for deciding one of 5 spots is not a good idea. Some kind of a round robin tournament (aka marvelous 12 would be better suited if you ask me). And of course deciding for a wild card before all slots are filled seems like a rather strange choice.

True, like Sali said she is still very young.
But can you guys tell me what would be wrong if the selection process was like:

2 spots - best WR
2 Top 12 round robin, The Marvelous 12 style
1 wild card.

Besides as Takkyu_wa_inochi noted she suffered from injury last year so her ranking obviously dropped.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

@Sali, i just gave you the record of Hayata in the last 3 months ? 2 losses only vs something like 25 wins

Ishikawa , was totally outclassed by Hayata in QF in Japan National Championships and has 3 losses in TLeague, LEE Hoching, ANDO Minami and HIRANO Miu..

Ito has only one loss in the same period that was against Ishikawa. . But she beated her last year when it mattered, in National Championship finals, straight sets, if I remember well. She won the national championships very easily but doesn't do TLeague.

Ito has beaten many top Chinese players in the last 2 years. Ishikawa hasn't beaten any top Chinese player in more than 10 years since she's on the senior circuit. The last time she was a National Champion was 4 editions ago ?

You know very well that ITTF ranking gives an advantage to the incumbent and that points from team events from years ago still accrue. And she was still chosen as the top JNT player in 2016 or 2018 when clearly she wasn't. She played more matches in team events than her cadets earning her more points.

 

[Vlad Celler]

The fall of the rating of Hayata - not because she began to play worse ....
The main reason is injuries ... (everyone probably saw that she had problems with her legs ....)
Plus, confluence of circumstances - the new rating calculation algorithms were adopted at the moment, inconvenient for Hayata, when she had “halves” accumulated due to injuries....

 

[Sali]

@ takkyu that is all true. I am not arguing with you. I just want to point out that some good period like hayata has does not make me bet on her my money.
Last year after Ito beat top chinese players in sweden everyone was waiting for the next tour and grand finals expecting her to take the titles and she lost both to non chinese players as I remember. Similar situation was with Hirano
So sometimes better is to wait for more progress and experience. Anyway I think Ito is the main threat for chinese team.
Finally now it is all over:
https://www.ittf.com/2019/03/05/japan-announces-budapest-selection/

It is absolutely shocking that coach decided to take Hitomi Sato instead of Hayata Hina.

 

[Vlad Celler]

@vlad celler

Yoshimura Maharu, Oshima and Hayata have a good chance to be in some doubles. Hayata is 100% sure as a consolation I believe. Yoshimura in XD to defend his World Crown, and I believe Oshima will be paired with Morizono in Men's Doubles

It is curious that Ishikawa-Harimoto is declared in Qatar Open ..

Although Yoshimura Maharu is also in the team, too ...

 

[Vlad Celler]

Yes ... On the official website of JTTA, the team was already announced yesterday ....

http://www.jtta.or.jp/tournament/tabid/125/rptid/468/Default.aspx

But of course the participants of singles ... The compositions of those who will play WD, XD, are not shown ...

 

[BlueScr33n]

True, like Sali said she is still very young.
But can you guys tell me what would be wrong if the selection process was like:

2 spots - best WR
2 Top 12 round robin, The Marvelous 12 style
1 wild card.

Besides as Takkyu_wa_inochi noted she suffered from injury last year so her ranking obviously dropped.

I don't think anything would be wrong with that. In fact, I would like that more than the current process. Selecting the top 2 in WR gives weight to the performance over the past year, while the round robin tournament would give weight to the current shape the players are in.

It is absolutely shocking that coach decided to take Hitomi Sato instead of Hayata Hina.

2 months ago that decision was not too shocking. Hitomi Sato did quite well last year and I guess JNT would like to send a defender as well. Of course that decision should have not been made 2 months ago.

 

[NextLevel]

Hayata did not just beat LSW in Portugal.
She is 11-0 in TLeague with some very good wins
She won 10 straight matches in round 1 of qualifying dropping just 1 set (to Kato)
She won in Portugal...
Before losing to Kato, the only match she lost in recent times was her SF to ITO (0-4) in National Championships

Besides LSW, among her victims during her run: ISHIKAWA (total domination), SUH Hyowon, LEE Hoching, FENG Tianwei, CHENG I-CHING, and all Japanese B-team... dropping very few sets.

I think its very very impressive but that one match brings a terrible result...

KATO may deserve her win, but 100% sure HAYATA is by far the stronger player, i think she is N2 in Japan now after ITO

But she lost the only game that mattered because of the pressure. she was 2 sets up, Kato didn't exist and then she started showing nervousness. And she choked at 10-5 in the decider... and now her career might be already over at 18 ? if not over, its taking a huge hit

Its almost as if the JNT staff made everything to make sure she isn't in the team

This. It is clear that Hayata's overall technical level is very high. Anyone doubting this should watch the match vs Georgina Pota.

 

[jawien]

2 months ago that decision was not too shocking. Hitomi Sato did quite well last year and I guess JNT would like to send a defender as well. Of course that decision should have not been made 2 months ago.

I want to be delicate, because Sato also has every right to be in the Budapest. I'm talking only about the selection process. The knock-out system instead of round robin ... was someone in a hurry?

The selection process is over ... so I probably said too much anyway ... hope not too much.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I think you should watch her match against Ishikawa in National Championships. It was a carnage.
Especially her BH was really strong. I think it was Chinese-like on this match

 

[Vlad Celler]

Hayat's game on OLL Yapan personally just struck me...A sharp increase in attack, a noticeable increase in speed ....It is similar - as already mentioned above, the game with POTA in Portugal .....Literally complete superiority ..

 

[BlueScr33n]

I think you should watch her match against Ishikawa in National Championships. It was a carnage.
Especially her BH was really strong. I think it was Chinese-like on this match

She is a fun player to watch.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

As noted above Hina Hayata suffered injuries last year. However, Hitomi Sato didn't exactly have a good year last year.
If you look at the actual matches they played in 2018 on the ITTF tour, here are the questionable losses in 2018. I don't include losses to Chinese players or high ranking players:

Hina Hayata: Pooja Sahasrabudhe, Li Ching Wan, Yu Mengyu
Hitomi Sato: Choi Hyojoo, Sabine Winter, Bernadette Szocs, Pauline Chasselin, Satsuki Odo

Head to Head Hina Hayata won the last 3 times they've played in ITTF tours. They've played a total of 5 times.

No disrespect to Hitomi Sato, but she should have had to play the Japan Top 12 imho.

 

[jawien]

[...]
No disrespect to Hitomi Sato, but she should have had to play the Japan Top 12 imho.

Precisely ... imho this would be a much healthier situation for everybody, probably also including Sato. If she was granted a wild card after the tournament we could argue about their results, but nobody would question the selection process. Assigning a wild card before the final tournament is just beyond me at the moment.

Once again I'm not questioning Sato's competencies. She surely deserves to be in the Budapest too.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Furthermore when i look at latest results, and potential, if they really wanted to send a chopper, personally i think they should have sent Hashimoto. She is behind Sato in rankings but I think her recent performances are more promising and that her attacking game, notably her BH is more incisive and her defense is as solid as Sato now.

Sato is lacking too much power and when facing top players her attacks look like they come from a little kid.

 

[Janard]

Furthermore when i look at latest results, and potential, if they really wanted to send a chopper, personally i think they should have sent Hashimoto. She is behind Sato in rankings but I think her recent performances are more promising and that her attacking game, notably her BH is more incisive and her defense is as solid as Sato now.

Sato is lacking too much power and when facing top players her attacks look like they come from a little kid.

Hashimoto has some biophysical advantages too, like her longer arm span (i.e. wider coverage), but she also possesses a stronger will to attack when necessary. Fielding a chopper is tactically smart because many of the top Chinese women are ironically having trouble with this style of play (e.g. Zhu Yuling, Wang Manyu). Only LSW still does well against choppers in general.