"Focus...it's everything"
Table Tennis Kingdom 2024-April (p83-89)
a chat with Hayata Hina KONNO Noboru
(excerpts)
To Hayata, the All-Japan was not only a stage to examine herself under heavy pressure, but also a stage to prove her strength for Paris.
In the six matches, Hayata had only dropped 1 out of 24 games. No matter in attacks or defenses, her performance was outstanding. The feeling of counterattack precision and calm control against her opponents can be readily felt. She raised her success rate in attacks, while at the same time displayed tight defenses.
No more was this exemplified by the 4-0 match against Harimoto in the Final. It seemed to say : "The Hayata who lost to you in Nov is no longer the same".
Q: How do you look at the Nationals now?
Hayata: I felt I'm finally standing at the start-line to Paris. Two years of Trials had concluded, I'm now in the 'Total Focus" mode for Paris.
Q: in six matches, you've lost only 1 game to Shibata, was your form and physical condition perfect?
Hayata: Perfect?...not a 100%. In fact, on Friday, after 3 matches on wood floors, my right sole had developed a huge blister. I played with that blister on Sat & Sunday's Final. That showed my inexperience.
Q: because wood floor caused more burdens to your feet?
Hayata: Because of the winter dryness, the wood surface was more slippery. To counter it, I dug in my toes more for grip, thereby increasing the strain to my soles.
Q: in the Nov Trial, you lost to Harimoto. At the time you mentioned "high risk" play. Did that match affect the overall Trials?
Hayata: I knew very well why I lost. So not only did I adjusted my stratagies, I trained and prepared pre-game differently from Nov on, and varied my play during actual competition. I've been overcoming problems that arose, I felt I brought more confidence to the games.
Q: you applied play style different from previous matches?
Hayata: In Nov, with only 1-2 weeks of preparation, I used a new play style. But I have since changed again to yet another way of playing. So it's different (from Nov), not to mention the ball used was also different. It was a new mindset altogether.
Q: your attacks were decisive, the defense steady while still able to counterattack, one feels you have multiple stable and strong playstyles...
Hayata: Although my styles are coming into form, there are still bottlenecks and kinks. I think I need to be 2-3 times better.
Q: In the match against Shibata, you lost the only game in the whole Tournament, and gone into deuces in the 3rd & 4th games...
Hayata: The match vs Shibata was difficult, but so were the others, so losing a game is not surprising. I discovered playing on bare wood floor vs mat-covered surface are different. This includes the ball's flight and trajectory. I'm more suited to covered floors.
More competitions are held in floor covered arenas now, but if playing rallies on bare floors continuously, sometime I can get distracted by feelings of sliding. I have yet fully gotten use to playing in different arena conditions. Lighting, and reflections causing ball misjudgements are also factors. In my mind, knowing how to adapt to different playing enviroments of various tournaments is important.
Q: in the Final vs Harimoto, she led 9-5 in the first game...
Hayata: Other than that first game, I felt my deployment of tactics, and predictions from her movements were sound, my attacks were successful. In that first game, I felt my choice of line in the third-ball and receives were off, causing unnecessary errors in countering.
When the gap got that large, I've always felt my opponent running away with the game. From here on, I'll do more intensive study to prevent misreading errors. I hope to prevent such a point spread in the first game.
Q: this is your 3rd National Championship, compared to the previous two, at the winning moment, your feelings were....
Hayata: In most Tournaments, I was able to go full bore, even though there were challenges mentally. But in this final Trial, my focus was in dis-allowing my opponents to gain points using my skills and tactics, to prevent them from getting into form, and suppress their moves through variation in play styles. I'm not sure whether I was completely successful, but that's my focus when training, I was able to stay true to that even at tense moments.
In my mind, there were more anxiety and pressure than previous Nationals. I felt many people were wondering if I really possess the abilities of an "Ace". It was important to have the ultimate ability to adjust in preventing my opponent to win a point. This tournament showcased that such ability and preparations are within my grasp.
Q: this Championship felt different ?
Hayata: My goal in the first Championship was "unlimited efforts" and " win the National". I was 100% focused on those objectives. The 2nd Championship was aiming for "Triple Crown".
The emotions and feelings of the first, second the third wins were all different. This time around, being seen as the 'destined winner', I felt it was a test whether I can bring to bear and unleash my real strength. It's not so much taking the All-Japan, but to prove where I stand on the way to Paris.
Q: your TT play compared to the first Championship was different ?
Hayata: Yes. I still cannot calmly review my match with WYD at the WTTC, it was too intense. But I do review my competitions since middle school. Even my tournaments from last year were completely different. Compared to my first Championship, everything have changed, including my body. I think as the clarity of my pursued goal improved, my focus also inproved, ultimately in formatting my present style.
But in retrospect, I didn't get here by myself, many faces came up. Whether for the first Crown in 2020, or the 4 years that followed, many people's help and support allowed me to get to this position. I think before I complete my TT career, I would meet, and be helped by many more. I treasure my connections with others, and I feel able to play TT is a blessing. I wish to keep moving forward everyday in earnest.
Q: compared to a year before, what exactly have changed?
Hayata: Everything have changed. For example, even if my swing speed remains the same, the power transfer of the ball feels quite different, forehand or backhand. Last years's final against Kihara, there were multiple rallies of many strokes. This year's rallies, my lines are better, and more difficult to predict.
When I hit a powerful ball, the force itself increased, making it difficult for the opponent to defend, or I can hit it in a completely different direction by varying the angle to win the point. To be able to upset my opponent's prediction and win is the visible growth of this year.
Last year, it felt there were more straight-on rallies, but this time around, there were variation of line to confuse and disrupt my opponent's rhythm, mix in with the straight rallies.
Q: this is because better use of body movements, more effective power transfer to the ball...the increased ball power lessened the number of hits?
Hayata: Yes. Previously those exchanges that required 3 strokes to resolve, I can do it in one now and score through choice of line or variation of it.
I was in 3 events last year, I can feel the tireness. But the level reaching physical fatgue is also different now. No matter how continuous the matches were, I was able to play with 80-90% strength, I don't tire-out as easily anymore.
Q: reviewing the last two years of Trials, what are your feelings?
Hayata: These two years I was distressed over the choice of which tournaments to attend. Like whether going international or domestic (T-League). Adjustments to physique was difficult. The Trials over these two years had made me stronger, whether in technical skills or mental maturity, also in physical fitness and overall personal development of myself.
I reviewed a video of the Lion Cup Final (2022-1st Trials), against Nagasaki, reversing from 0-3 and won 4-3. If I remained at that level, I won't be standing here today. I truthfully feel the level of Japanese players to be very high. I could potentially lose every competition, that urged me on to evolve continuously, to be stronger. Other competitors like Ito, Hirano are continuosly challenging me. In the forefront, defining goals are more problematic.
Whilst adapting to international tournaments, and developing skill with explosive power to win against Chinese players, I still need to win domestically, and not lose to my strong competitors. Trying to balance the two, I have been striving hard for these two years.
In selecting which events to attend, which may result in different outcomes, I was assisted by those in 'Team Hina' (Coach Ishida, Oka-san my trainer, and my mom). On my own, I will never get here. Without them, there is no way I could have endured through these two years.
Q: you mentioned the match with Nagasaki, are there any other 'turning point' competition?
Hayata: In the 4th Trials (Hiratsuka). I felt sick like never before. Can't get breakfast down, I was pale, couldn't even complete warm-up. I knew I had to go on, but I realized I had little strength in my forehand, couldn't even hit a high ball. I felt like a totally different person. My body absolutely refused to move as I wished, I felt abnormal match after match.
But this was a 'win or lose' world, the key is to be able to accept what comes and hold out to the last. It was a huge challenge, which turned into focus. "fight with whatever you've got, you lose...you lose, but leave no regret." I wasn't quite myself, but I persevered and overcame (I won!). Its was a very important experience.
In WTTC Durban 2023, I stayed in 100% form, but in retrospect, of these two years, whether competing internationally or domestically, I seldom feel totally well. Whether in T-League or Trials, some mishaps would always occur. This is a test for myself, the key is to overcome these challenges.
I could be too tire to even move my legs, or due to some environmental change that I lost my feel for my bat swing, or discovered I couldn't get my serves right. Under those condition, at those times, I could only fight as what I was, and continue to compete.
To be able to pour my hear out with 'Team Hina' lightened my mental load. In these two years, 'Team Hina' supported me even when I hit bottom, and helped me stand up again. Even when I was leading, it's not all smooth going. I received a lot of help.
Q: if there's is top limit, how far have you reached?
Hayata: about 30, 40%.
Q: so there is another 60-70% to improve?
Hayata: At last there is a framework, but it could collapse anytime, so I must study it in depth and improve on it. My idol is Federer, but to reach a level like his, the road ahead is long. I have just completed the basic framework, and now adding play variety. In this sense, it is at 30-40%.
Q: is Paris a transit point, or can you finish by then?
Hayata: I'm focused on how to build myself for Paris for now. Maybe when the time come, my target would be different, but I do look forward to competing there. I think by the time Paris comes, I won't be able to change anything anymore. So in the next six months, how to master the skills I would need, raising the success rate become of paramount importance. Once at Paris, I can only go full out with what I have, so in these six months, I must do my very best, or there will be no medal.
To medal in Paris, I think there will be many obstacles to face. If I verbalize this, It will constantly remind me what my objective is, which will keep my momentum going. I'll keep repeating it, and in the next six months, accept challenges from all directions, and try to develop myself so that everyday is better than yesterday.
Q: are you excited?
Hayata: How to say it...this is my first Olympics, I may not even get that Olympics feeling when I get there. I can only look forward to the results. Whether I'll come out good or I hit bottom, I will still look forward to it. No matter what, this will be THE memory of my career, and an experience. So come what may, I'll accept it. And I'll work hard.
