JTTA: Selection System to be Revamped for Paris 2024

[NextLevel]

"I've been practicing with the sole focus on beating the higher-ranked players" - Comments from Satsuki Ooto, winner of Asian Championship qualifying tournament

Great article, too many things worth reading. Just a taste.
≈=======

What was the factor that allowed you to be positive?
Coach Ooto　was replaced by Coach Sakamoto (Ryusuke), and our mentality has changed. I think we were able to beat our opponents in matches because of our mentality, so I think that's the biggest change.

-Please tell us what specific changes have occurred since Coach Sakamoto took over.
Ooto　: First, I changed my playing style from defense to offense. When I started to play more on the offensive, I made mistakes and it was scary, but I was able to practice by thinking, "I made a mistake, but it was a good learning experience."

--Changing your style means destroying everything you've built up up until now, so were you not worried about that?
Otoji:　That was a big one, and I even changed my racket and rubber at that point, so there was a period when I couldn't win. But I had been practicing with the sole focus on beating higher-ranked players, so I'm glad that it led to this kind of result.

 

[zeio]

What I find the most interesting is the 0-4 loss to Hirano at Zennihon Takkyu 2024 that led to the change of coach, style and equipment.

 

[Tempest/Comet]

Hayata setting up temporary base in Paris with help from French club team. Invited Aso Reina along (Red Elf teammate) as practice partner.

 

[zeio]

理事メンバー発表。日本卓球協会、ほぼ同じ体制を維持。「国内外の課題に向けて新体制でチャレンジしていきます」
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/189045

河田正也会長のコメント
「ほぼ同じ（理事）メンバーですが、外部環境は変わっています。私も1期2年やりましたが、その間にも環境は変わっています。ひとつはグローバル（環境）です。WTTの存在がどんどん大きくなっています。WTTの方針の元に我々協会もホストカントリーとしてやるけれども、その間のプロセス、調整は想像以上に大変なことがあります。大会を受け入れる日本の地方自治体の協力も献身的にしてもらう。国際的な関係づくりも今までもやってきたいけれども、同じやり方では劣化していくのではないか。
国内に目を向けても、働き方改革による中学校の部活動がどうなるのか。各地によって濃淡が全然違う。協会内でプロジェクトを作って検討していきます。内外ともに今まであまり感じなかったことをこれからどんどん検討していく。それを新体制でチャレンジしていきます」

Chairperson KAWATA Masaya's comment:
"The (board) members are almost the same, but the external environment has changed. I served for one term of two years, but the environment has changed during that time. "One is the global (environment). WTT's presence is getting bigger and bigger. Our association will act as the host country under WTT's policy, but the process and coordination during that time can be more difficult than you might imagine. We also need the cooperation of the local governments in Japan that will host the tournaments. We want to build international relationships as we have done up until now, but I think that if we continue to do things the same way, they will deteriorate.

Even if we look domestically, what will happen to junior high school club activities due to work style reform? The situation is completely different depending on the region. We will create a project within the association and consider it. We will continue to consider things that we have not felt much about before, both domestically and internationally. We will take on this challenge with a new system."

登録人数は29万9,285人。日本卓球協会 23年度加盟登録人数
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/189293

 

[FIXPOINT]

The seeding for the team and individual events of the Paris Olympics, which will be held from July 27 to August 10, 2024, will be determined by the world rankings announced on July 16. Therefore, the valid ( or remaining) points ranking as of July 16 is as important as the current world ranking.

 

[FIXPOINT]

 

[zeio]

Posting this paywalled article on Togami by Mainichi from late March that I somehow missed. Also another one by Table Tennis Kingdom from late May.

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240318/k00/00m/050/027000c

戸上隼輔　試行錯誤でたどり着いた新たな「ストロングスタイル」
玉井滉大 スポーツ 速報 その他のスポーツ

毎日新聞 2024/3/20 07:00（最終更新 3/20 08:32） 有料記事 1315文字

プレーオフでの活躍が期待される東京の戸上隼輔©T.LEAGUE/アフロスポーツ

　卓球のノジマTリーグで年間王者を決める男女のプレーオフが22～24日、東京・代々木第2体育館で開かれる。男女ともにレギュラーシーズンの上位3チームで争われる。今夏のパリ・オリンピックでも活躍が期待される男子の注目選手を紹介する。

ノジマTリーグ

用具変更ピタリ

　王座奪還を目指す東京に今季、ドイツでの武者修行を経て2季ぶりにTリーグに復帰した戸上隼輔選手（22）が加わった。パリ五輪の選考レースとも重なる中、7勝3敗。勝利数などの面ではエースとして少し悔しさが残る結果となったが、「新たに取り入れたものをたくさん試すことができた。シャーレ（優勝皿）を掲げたい」とプレーオフに向けても前向きだ。

　今季のTリーグはパリ五輪でのメダルを見据えた挑戦の舞台でもあった。

　2023年10月末、川崎市であった彩たま戦。戸上選手の右手には新しいラケットが握られていた。「（得意のフォアにつなげるため）バック対バックをもっと安定させたいと思った」

　試行錯誤の末、ラバーも以前とは違うものにした。球の軌道が高い弧線を描くようになり、「弱点だった」というブロックが安定するようになった。この日はビクトリーマッチを含めて2勝。確かな手応えをつかみ、力強く拳を握った。

　攻撃力には定評がある。東京の倉嶋洋介監督が「スーパーがつくぐらい」と語るほどだが、加入当初は調子が上がらなかった。世界の強豪相手では攻撃一辺倒では対応され、むしろ弱みにもなった。ひたすら攻め続けるのではなく、我慢しながら攻撃力を生かす方法を考えるべきではないか――。倉嶋監督のアドバイスも受け、考えてたどり着いた一つの手段が用具の変更だった。

　「Tリーグで試すことで、自信を持って海外に挑めた」。昨年11月のWTTコンテンダー太原（中国）では、中国勢を立て続けに破って準優勝。今年1月の全日本選手権決勝は張本智和選手との激闘の末、3連覇こそ逃したものの、初の五輪代表の座をつかんだ。

強烈なフォアハンドを武器とする東京の戸上隼輔©T.LEAGUE/アフロスポーツ

　バックハンドの技術の安定感が増したことで、無理に攻める場面も少なくなった。「プレーの幅や戦術もかなり増えてきた」と成長を実感する。世界ランキングは自己最高の23位（3月5日現在）。「現時点では五輪のメダルには届かない。五輪までに海外でタイトルを取り、世界ランクを上げるところから」と冷静に現在地を見極めながらも、もう一段上へ行くための準備は整いつつある。

　2季ぶりの参戦となったTリーグは「海外の選手も増え、レベルも上がっていると感じた」と語る。古巣の琉球との勝ち点の差はわずか5だった。

　「実力が伯仲する中での優勝は大きな価値があるし、世界にアピールできるチャンスでもある」。チーム4回目の優勝へ、迷いはない。【玉井滉大】

活躍が期待される東京の戸上隼輔選手©T.LEAGUE/アフロスポーツ

とがみ・しゅんすけ

　2001年生まれ、三重県出身。卓球選手だった両親の影響で、3歳ごろから卓球を始めた。中学2年の秋から山口・野田学園中に編入し、野田学園高2、3年の全国高校総体男子シングルスで2連覇。明大に進み、22、23年の全日本選手権で2連覇した。今春に明大を卒業し、4月からは地元の井村屋グループに所属する予定。同社の「スポーツようかん」は試合の合間などに好んで食べるという。

戸上隼輔、「オクセンハウゼン」と契約。2季ぶりのブンデスリーガ挑戦。「世界のトップクラスに仲間入りしたい」
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/182067

 

[zeio]

卓球女子・平野美宇 （中央市出身）　念願のシングルス挑む
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/yamanashi/news/20240629-OYTNT50052/

１分間の深イイ話　パリへ！池江璃花子・平野美宇の家族＆やす子故郷で本音告白ＳＰ
https://d000d.com/d/abgertpbr7ky

 

[FIXPOINT]

The seeding for the team and individual events of the Paris Olympics, which will be held from July 27 to August 10, 2024, will be determined by the world rankings of July 16.　There are no WTT matches that will affect the world rankings between July 9 and July 16, and there don't seem to be any other ITTF matches either, so it seems that the world rankings on July 9 will remain unchanged on July 16.

 

[FIXPOINT]

 

[driversbeat]

Kihara nearly 1000 points away from Ito. Personally I'd like to see Hashimoto selected after her recent performance, but she's nearly 1500 points behind Ito even after that Bangkok SCT finalist run. How many more tournaments left until the WTTC 2025 selection deadline?

 

[zeio]

The top-ranked JNT player 14 days before final entries for ATTC 2024...

Final entries for ATTC 2023 was 6 weeks or 42 days (7/23) before event start (9/3).
Final entries for ATTC 2021 was 5 weeks and 1 day or 36 days (8/23) before event start (9/28).
Final entries for ATTC 2019 was 4 weeks and 3 days or 31 days (8/15) before event start (9/15).
Final entries for ATTC 2017 was 6 weeks and 6 days or 48 days (2/20) before event start (4/9).

So that could be 45-62 days (8/22-8/5) before event start (10/6).

https://jtta.or.jp/tour/17523
http://ttfrk.kz/

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

With her Finals appearance at SC Bangkok, Honoka Hashimoto rises to WR#41. That makes 9 Japanese women in the top 50. Hashimoto and Sato winning SC Bangkok in WD pushes them to WR#10 in WD. That makes 3 pairs of Japanese women (Kihara/Nagasaki, Sato/Hashimoto, and Odo/Yokoi) in the top 15 of WD.

 

[fore.n.back]

卓球 - 明治大学・戸上隼輔（下）両親は勧めずとも、才能が開花「考えられない角度で打てる」 | 4years. #学生スポーツ

明治大学の卓球部は、全日本選手権を4度制覇した松下浩二さんや、東京オリンピック混合ダブルスで金メダルを獲得した水谷隼さんらが輩出した名門だ。戸上隼輔（4年、野田学園）が入部したのは、2020年春だった。

4years.asahi.com

I've just came across this interview of Togami's mother, looks like the nickname "anemic prince" that the Chinese dubbed him is spotted on.

 

[zeio]

オリンピック・パラリンピック 卓球競技日本代表選手 記者会見
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXq2Ig-8sg

 

[zeio]

Mascot Watanabe: This time, the women's members are the strongest members of Japan currently.
Coach Ito who just won WTT SCT Bangkok 2024: Am I a joke to you?

 

[zeio]

Turns out Hirano was worried about her left knee as there were too many matches at WTT CT Ljubljana 2024 and wanted time to prepare for Paris 2024 and so withdrew from WTT SCT Bangkok 2024. And as expected, she and Harimoto have NOT worked on WD at all.

Another thing about Hayata is that for XD she had been doing things her way but this time she listened to what Miwa's brother had to say.

五輪日本女子代表の会見でのコメント。「張本選手との2対2なら、中国選手もそれほど怖くない」（早田ひな）
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/192339
パリへGO! 「3種目のメダルが目標。混合ダブルスでしっかり獲って、団体までやり切りたい」（張本智和）
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/192146

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-be-revamped-for-paris-2024.24977/post-461225

If you ask me, the chemistry between Hayata and Harimoto in XD has also been stagnant for the past 2 or even 3 years.

 

[zeio]

Tsk, tsk, tsk! So here is the reason Hirano took so long to secure her WS spot - all the spare time was spent on her side job as a garment designer.

【卓球】平野美宇〝デザイナー〟でも才能発揮　「息抜きみたいな感じ」ながらも上々の評判
https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/309221

 

[zeio]

7月16日の世界ランキングが発表。7月のチームランキングも公開され、日本男子はパリ五輪第4シードを確保
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/192602

 

[driversbeat]

TV Tokyo did an analysis of the Olympic team recently.

Hayata's main results:

• 2023 All Japan Triple Crown
• WTTC Singles Bronze
• Asian Games Singles Silver
• 2024 All Japan Champion (2nd consecutive title)
• 2024 WTTC Team Silver

VS China:

• 3W18L (2023 onwards)
• 4-3 Wang Yidi x2
• 3-1 Chen Meng

Hirano's main results:

Feels like they had a hard time putting this list together...

• T-league Singles Champion
• WTT Contender Zagreb Champion
• 5th Selection Trial (3rd place)
• All Japan 2024 Quarterfinalist
• WTTC 2024 Team Silver

VS China:

• 6W10L
• 3-2 WYD
• 3-1 Liu Wei Shan
• 3-1 Kuai Man
• 4-3 SYS
• 3-0 WYD
• 3-2 Shi Xunyao

Miwa's main results

• 4th Selection Trial Runner-up
• Contender Tunis Champion
• Asian Games Team Silver + Doubles Bronze
• 6th Selection Trial Champion
• All Japan 2024 Runner-up
• WTTC Team Silver
• World Cup Macao Singles Bronze

VS China:

• 3W15L (so Hayata has the lowest win rate)
• 3-1 vs Qian Tianyi (Contender Goa, her breakout performance)
• 4-1 vs WYD
• 3-0 Liu Weishan

Overall, Hirano has the highest win rate over China but her teammates are going into the later rounds of international/national tournaments more frequently, hence their higher rankings.

It's also really obvious that Team Japan's weak point is doubles. Hirano (Sayaka) stresses that they need to take down doubles to have a chance against China, because taking 3 out of 4 remaining singles while being 0-1 down is simply too hard.

All three players from China are right-handed, with CM/WMY being the most likely doubles. Sayaka feels that Japan should take advantage of this.

Sayaka feels that Hayata should be moved to doubles. But we all know it's not going to happen lmao.

SYB/JJH doubles was also mentioned. 'A truly competent pairing that does not just rely on momentum'. She thinks Japan will be ok but starting out 0-1 down will be uncomfortable.

YJN only touched upon briefly for her unique style but Pavade was highlighted for her victories over Ito and Hirano. France is seeded 8th in WT so they skipped over Romania, Germany, Hong Kong, and Taiwan just to mention them. Home crowd advantage was also mentioned.

Overall this feels like it's going to be a very tame, by-the-book Olympics. Hope I'm wrong but according to the seedings Japan's results are going to be:

XD Silver
Hayata Singles Bronze
Hirano Best 8
WT Silver

I guess Hayata can say that she just fell one step of Ito's triple Gold/Silver/Bronze if she takes home three medals. If they're going to breakthrough in any event it'll be singles either through their own strength or with help from other non-CNT players. But we all know how well China prepares for the Olympics and how old rivals are easily swatted aside on the big stage.