WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 10/27-11/1

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WS R16
Winter WR9 1-3 Sato WR8 (8) (-8, 9, -3, -7)
Sato's BH serve with heavy backspin to Winter's short FH at 8:7 of G1 needs to be analyzed.
G2 31, 34, 84 sideline edge for Winter, 87 TO for Winter, 89 sideline edge for Sato, 119
G3 10, 14, 24, 25 epic 29-shot point, 27, 37, 311
No chance after Sato adjusted to Winter's anti spin-reversal by twiddling. Winter just couldn't hit past Sato. Very deflating.
G4 01, 31, 35, 65, 68 BH heavy backspin serve by Sato again, 78, 710 BH heavy backspin serve by Sato yet again, 711
Could've ended in 3 for Sato. Winter should've stayed more patient and used her anti more to draw Sato in, rather than brute-forcing every loop.
I looked at those serves slowed down, and they didn't seem especially deceptive or anything special - just loaded with spin that Winter didn't compensate for. The serve at 9-7 in game 4 was remarkable as Winter returned it with her anti and it still went in the net. Nice thing is those serves are clearly legal as far as I can tell.
 
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Oct 2014
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After Truls' points from last year's Montpellier expires he might end up dropping multiple rankings.

Both Hugo and LYJ exited early last year, and WCQ didn't play. If Truls doesn't place well and his points from last year expire he could end up down at #8.

Also it's crazy that Sora was WR#16 at this same time last year.
#8 isn't terrible, the surprise is that he got as high as he did and i thought losing the Euro Smash in the first round would hurt his ranking but he is still top 10 which means his consistency is not about one event. In the WTT era too, all the top 8 spots are somewhat equivalent, they just guarantee you won't meet someone else in the top 8 early, but woth all the floaters like Dang, Sidorenko, Liang, Gauzy, Kallberg, Lind, Franizksa, ZQH and so on, it is still a shark tank at these Champions events and WTT elite events in general.
 
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