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Comments from the Japanese Women’s National Team Players
Looking back on the match against Germany, what are your thoughts?
Hayata: Just as we had anticipated yesterday, it was a physically and mentally grueling match. Both I and our number one player, Harimoto, faced tough situations, and there was a possibility we might have handed the match over to Hashimoto with a 0-2 deficit. However, the two of us dug in and managed to turn it around to a 2-0 lead. I think it was great that Hashimoto was able to close it out in her own style.
In particular, I was scheduled to face their ace, Winter, and when I fell behind 0-2, I thought, “What should I do?” I could sense that she was riding the highest momentum of the tournament and was really on a roll. However, I think the key to our victory was that I remained calm, tried the things I knew I could do, and adjusted my approach as needed to adapt to the situation.
In the third and fifth games, my game plan clicked and things felt good, but in the fourth game, I had some net errors and bad luck. Even though I thought, “You never know how a match will turn out,” I was able to fight through to the end in my own style, so I’m glad.
Hashimoto: I think the first and second matches today were really tough, but since they managed to win those, all I had to do was focus on my own role. I was able to play without any pressure, so I’m truly grateful to those two.
Harimoto: The win in the first match might not have been the most convincing, but it was good that we won and carried that momentum into the next match. However, as for my own match, I didn’t start well, and I think I was slow to adjust during the game—that’s something I need to reflect on. It feels like I still have a lot of work to do to prepare for tomorrow.
── Ms. Harimoto, you found yourself trailing early on.
Harimoto: Han attacked quite frequently, so I was slow to switch gears in those moments. I had prepared for her attacks beforehand, but they came more often than I expected. I wasn’t fully prepared, and I couldn’t adjust as I’d hoped, so the first game just slipped away.
In the second game, I tried to play as aggressively as possible and make sure I could return the ball even when I was under attack. Honestly, when I was down on game point, I thought, “I might lose today,” but after catching up to 10-10, I think I was able to play my own game.
── Hayata, how did you change your play starting from the third game?
Hayata: In the first game, I felt my serves were too one-sided, but I was trying out various things with my returns. As a result, I ended up getting outmaneuvered and couldn’t wait for the ball, so I settled into a more consistent style of receiving and serving. From there, I played it pretty much by the book—like, “If my opponent moves this way, I’ll attack like this; if they do the opposite, I’ll let it go.”
Even after falling behind 0-2, I kept looking for what I could do, and I think the biggest achievement was that I managed to contain their momentum. I believe that’s what allowed me to bring the match back to my own pace in the end.
── Please share a few words looking ahead to the final.
Hashimoto: I didn’t compete two years ago, so this is my first final. I don’t really know what it was like to feel that regret from the last time, but now that we’ve made it this far, I hope we can all pull together, give 120% of our best, and play our hearts out in tomorrow’s match.
Hayata: On days like today when things don’t go as planned, I think we have to keep making quick adjustments to our strategy early on—otherwise, we won’t be able to beat the players who make it to the finals. While I still feel the frustration of losing in the final of the last tournament, I want to stay calm and give it my all without getting too worked up.
Harimoto: I made my team competition debut two years ago and experienced that same frustration in the final. It’s thanks to everyone that we’ve made it back to the finals, so I want us all to give it our absolute best and do our utmost to win the gold medal.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
