WTT Champions Japan 2025 - 7-11 Aug 2025

[mamedium]

6 Chinese women in the quarter finals and ONLY 2 Chinese men in the quarter finals. That is quite interesting!

what is interesting about it?

 

[zeio]

But Hayata has had this injury since at least Paris last year...
It would seem strange to have it approved as a new injury?

You be the judge. She has been "playing up her recovery" ahead of Yokohama (for a reason we now know?).

 

[zeio]

A medical timeout needs to be approved first? Has it always been this way? Hina wanted one and got it.

It wasn't like this back before WTT. It's much more specific and stricter now. For future reference.

WTT Handbook
WTT Series & Feeder Series 2025
UPDATED 27 FEBRUARY 2025 – EFFECTIVE FOR EVENTS FROM 1 APRIL 2025
https://wttwebcmsprod.blob.core.win...TT_Series & Feeder_Handbook_2025_20250227.pdf

4.2.2 Offences
...
o) Continuous Play
...
v) The Referee may allow a Medical Time-Out for an emergency suspension of play due to an incident
resulting in the player being temporarily incapacitated and not being able to continue play. The
maximum duration of the Medical Time-Out caused by an incident cannot exceed five (5) minutes.
vi) For all other medical situations where the injury or medical situation is occurring for the first time at
the specific event, and which is not cramps or fatigue to muscles caused by the players current state
of fitness, and provided that in the opinion of the Referee the suspension is not likely to be unduly
disadvantageous to the opposing player or pair, the Referee will award a Medical Break to commence
at the conclusion of the game in progress.

A Medical Break shall be a maximum of two (2) minutes, in addition to the one (1) minute game break,
for a total break of three (3) minutes and will be used for assessment and/or treatment performed by
the WTT Physiotherapist or the Event Doctor.

At the discretion of the WTT Physiotherapist or Event Doctor, the medical break can be converted into
a Medical Time-Out, if the player has not already used their Medical Time-Out.

A player may not take a Medical Break immediately following a Medical Time-Out.

Any further treatment required can only be performed during the regular one (1) minute interval
between games.

ITTF Statutes 2025
https://documents.ittf.sport/sites/...TTF_Statutes_2025_tracked_changes_version.pdf
ITTF Handbook 2019
https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019ITTFHandbook_v2.pdf

3.4.4 Intervals
...
3.4.4.4 The referee may allow a suspension of play, of the shortest practical
duration, and in no circumstances more than 10 minutes, if a player is
temporarily incapacitated by an accident, provided that in the opinion of the
referee the suspension is not likely to be unduly disadvantageous to the
opposing player or pair.
3.4.4.5 A suspension shall not be allowed for a disability which was present or was
reasonably to be expected at the beginning of the match, or where it is due
to the normal stress of play; disability such as cramp or exhaustion, caused
by the player's current state of fitness or by the manner in which play has
proceeded, does not justify such an emergency suspension, which may be
allowed only for incapacity resulting from an accident, such as injury caused
by a fall.

 

[tzifos]

what is interesting about it?

The there are several possibilities to have an all-chinese women semifinals and no-chinese in the men semifinals

 

[mamedium]

The there are several possibilities to have an all-chinese women semifinals and no-chinese in the men semifinals

they'll be in the finals and they'll win

 

[zeio]

You be the judge. She has been "playing up her recovery" ahead of Yokohama (for a reason we now know?).

Many in Japan are not buying it.

Hayata is getting smarter [say here and here] but at what cost? LOL SMH

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

they'll be in the finals and they'll win

while it will probably happen, but there are more and more times where it doesn't happen any more.
to be fair, there are more than double amount of matches but it also feels like the longevity of CNT leaders have dropped.

and with sport depression becoming more of a thing nowadays, and many players opening talking about it, and with the toxic culture in China - especially the addition of low class / rude fans, cyber bullying, booings, or simply too much cheering and no more private/personal life because of fan paparazzi, I think it all plays a toll in the players mind.

We also can't forget to add, there are many more mens players from many countries like Japan, France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Taiwan, Korea, even the likes of Iran and other European countries all have players that can beat core CNT men's players today.

CNT is more fragile and with the depression/stress increasing, its quite sad actually. But that is the culture set by the previous boss - it is forbidden to loose against foreigners - this is driven in your head since you enter B team. Ask anyone who has been in CNT before and they will tell you the same.

So, while the rest of the world players has less stress, less pressure to deal with. upsets would probably happen more and more, especially with the likes of CY - where she has no pressure playing against her own compatriot, but you can't say the same for the loosing SYS and WMY - they cannot loose to anyone one, including compatriots

 

[travelt123]

After been as number 1 for a few months, everyone is paying close attention to him and finally LSD's vulnerability has been exposed. He will suffer defeat like today more often until Chinese coaches figure out a way help him.

Good news from China that FZD is back in the hunt for LA Olympic and that's a big relief especially LSD started showing regression. Compared to women's team, Chinese men's team is vulnerable.

WCQ be like, “This could be the third straight tournament in a row that I have to bail China out from losing face. I can’t keep doing this forever.”

 

[NextLevel]

Will Japan have a single semifinalist at the end of today?

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

lets goooo!

 

[JackJohnson]

Will Japan have a single semifinalist at the end of today?

Maybe, Hayata has already lost to CXT the last 2 times but the last time they did face each other was at the Singapore Smash and it was a really close game. Miwa Harimoto would have had a better chance at making semis. Unfortunate what happened yesterday with Hayata coach allowing to be with her in the medical timeout.

 

[zeio]

Maybe, Hayata has already lost to CXT the last 2 times but the last time they did face each other was at the Singapore Smash and it was a really close game. Miwa Harimoto would have had a better chance at making semis. Unfortunate what happened yesterday with Hayata coach allowing to be with her in the medical timeout.

Any reason the very last time at WTTC 2025 is not counted?

Year	EventName	Result	Winner
2025	ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025	0 - 4	CHEN Xingtong
2025	ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup Shenzhen 2025	2 - 3	CHEN Xingtong
2025	Singapore Smash 2025	3 - 4	CHEN Xingtong
2019	ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open Bremen 2019	3 - 4	CHEN Xingtong

 

[BlopChock]

3-0, well played Kanak!

ETA: whoops. Watching this on mute while the other half has a movie on the big screen. Didn't realize we are into best of seven this round...

 

[NextLevel]

Joining Duesseldorf is already paying dividends but in their last league match, Kanak was up 2-0 and lost 2-3. Hoping this is not a best of seven version of that.

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

HE DID IT! WOW!

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Amazing how Kanak controlled the match against Qiu Dang!

 

[JackJohnson]

Any reason the very last time at WTTC 2025 is not counted?

Year	EventName	Result	Winner
2025	ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025	0 - 4	CHEN Xingtong
2025	ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup Shenzhen 2025	2 - 3	CHEN Xingtong
2025	Singapore Smash 2025	3 - 4	CHEN Xingtong
2019	ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open Bremen 2019	3 - 4	CHEN Xingtong

Sorry, I couldn’t remember which tournaments that she had lost to CXT. I knew that she had lost to CXT at least a couple of times in a row. They seem to always meet too frequently so forgot which tournament she lost to CXT but thanks for the reminder so that’s 3 times this year and could be 4 by today.

 

[golden_son]

Me watching game five slip away and thinking Dang Qiu is about to rattle off four straight games:

Me after Kanak comes back from two game points down to win the match:

 

[Dr Evil]

Kanak gets 350 ranking points for the semifinals which could get him to 21, still I think 2 off his career high. Finals is worth 700 points which could get him as high as 16.

 

[NextLevel]

I feel for Dang, it sucks to lose after beating the #1 seed.

Go Kanak!