WTT Contender Almaty 2026 Sep 1-6

[zeio]

Not just KAZ players, but also UZB players will be the highlight next year.

WS QR2
NXL (1) 3-2 Kodirova (WC) (5, 4, -9, -7, 9)

LIVE! | T2 | Q Day 2 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Session 2
https://youtu.be/52Jx7-Ij4K4?t=2654

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

They have a too busy schedule

It gets worse. WTT Champions Macao starts on Tuesday, and there is no qual stage. I hope Macao tournament director is kind enough not to schedule Hina or Shunsuke on the 1st day... preferably on day 3.

 

[piligrim]

Fang Bo should do something with his BH

 

[Attitude]

Fang Bo should do something with his BH

Not so sure about that.
I kinda thought the same, but his bh was the only decent and consistent weapon some weeks ago imo. Now he finally managed to upgrade his fh to a decent level again.
I am already happy that he is getting noticebly better, in quite a short time. Beating Gerassimenko is not a small step.

 

[JustANoob]

Yuta Tanaka gave Gauzy way more trouble than I anticipated, really need to re-evaluate my assessment of him.

 

[zeio]

Ghorpade didn't make it easy for Nagasaki from the second half of G2, after breaking free of the latter's grip on the hard-countering shot quality. You can tell from the latter's face after the last point.

LIVE! | T2 | Day 2 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Session 1
https://youtu.be/2mu3NwYVIow?t=2425

Camera angle happened to line up and capture the atypical trajectory and spin reversal of LP that so-called frictionless anti would have a hard time to reproduce
https://youtu.be/2mu3NwYVIow?t=2508
https://youtu.be/2mu3NwYVIow?t=3049

 

[NextLevel]

Not so sure about that.
I kinda thought the same, but his bh was the only decent and consistent weapon some weeks ago imo. Now he finally managed to upgrade his fh to a decent level again.
I am already happy that he is getting noticebly better, in quite a short time. Beating Gerassimenko is not a small step.

Since he plays for Kazakhstan, is there an exposure story there? Or Fang Bo purely plays for Kazakhstan while never training with other players from the country? Sincerely asking, have no clue.

 

[FIXPOINT]

WTT Contender Almaty 2026 WS R2

WTT Contender Almaty 2026 MS R1

 

[FIXPOINT]

Scheduled Matches:
All times are local time.
Live streaming: https://www.youtube.com/wttglobal

Sat, 5th Sep 2026
10:00 T1 WS QF Miu HIRANO(JPN) - Vlada VORONINA(RUS)
10:00 T2 WS QF Kaho AKAE(JPN) - Miyu NAGASAKI(JPN)
10:35 T1 MS QF Evgeny TIKHONOV(RUS) - Alexis KOURAICHI(FRA)
10:35 T2 MS QF Denis IVONIN(RUS) - Kazuki HAMADA(JPN)
11:10 T1 WS QF Hina HAYATA(JPN) - Elizabet ABRAAMIAN(RUS)
11:10 T2 WS QF Adriana DIAZ(PUR) - Annett KAUFMANN(GER)
11:45 T1 MS QF FANG Bo(KAZ) - Simon GAUZY(FRA)
11:45 T2 MS QF Shunsuke TOGAMI(JPN) - Alvaro ROBLES(ESP)
12:20 T1 WD SF HIRANO(JPN)/KIHARA(JPN) - TAILAKOVA(RUS)/ZIRONOVA(RUS)
12:20 T2 WD SF CHITALE(IND)/GHORPADE(IND) - DAS(IND)/MUKHERJEE(IND)
12:55 T1 MD SF HAMADA(JPN)/SUZUKI(JPN) - KATSMAN(RUS)/GREBNEV(RUS)
12:55 T2 MD SF YOSHIYAMA(JPN)/YOSHIYAMA(JPN) - KARLSSON(SWE)/KARLSSON(SWE)

 

[zeio]

LIVE! | T1 | Day 3 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Session 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T474MAw4M70
So many nets and edges for Hirano. Voronina added to the LA28 watch list.
Top 3 RUS women in WR as of this writing
2003/04/29 Elizabet Abraamian
2004/11/19 Vlada Voronina
2005/10/10 Maria Panfilova
https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026_36_SEN_WS.html

LIVE! | T2 | Day 3 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXo5ixw41Sk
A repeat of Asian Cup 2026 between Nagasaki and Akae but Nagasaki was up 2 games this time before Akae found a way back in with her serve but Nagasaki once again turned the tables with her trusted BH quick rip both on serve and receive.

 

[zeio]

MS QF
Togami 3-1 Robles (3, -10, 12, 9)
G2 51, 75, 79, 109, 1012
G3 41, 45, 55, 57, 67, 68 TO by Ueda, 88, 89, 109, 1010, 1110, 1111 fast long serve to Togami's deep BH, 1211, 1212, 1412
G4 03, 13, 15, 45 TO for Robles, 55, 57, 67 Robles served into the net, 77, 78, 98, 99, 119 sideline edge for Togami
After 4 straight losses, finally...

I guess that's what LGL calls winning ugly. I feel for Ueda, watching your FZD-beating player blow the lead and a 3-0 match...

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...h-2026-los-angeles-6-26-7-5.39444/post-580183

MS QR2
Robles 2-3 Chirita (-10, 10, -12, 8, -7)
G5 76, 711

CMV: Togami has no future.
Togami (2001/8/24) was ~20.7 in 2022 and Chirita (2006/2/2) is ~20.3 in 2026.

Year	Event Name	Stage	Sub-Event	Round	Player A	Player B	Games	Result	Winner
2026	Singapore Smash 2026 Presented by Resorts World Sentosa	Qualification	MS	QR16	CHIRITA Iulian	ROBLES Alvaro	11:5 8:11 8:11 11:4 8:11	2 - 3	ROBLES Alvaro

Year	Event Name	Stage	Sub-Event	Round	Player A	Player B	Games	Result	Winner
2022	WTT Feeder Fremont 2022	Main Draw	MS	R16	TOGAMI Shunsuke	ROBLES Alvaro	7:11 9:11 15:13 13:15 11:3 10:12	2 - 4	ROBLES Alvaro
2019	ITTF World Tour Korea Open Busan 2019	Qualification	MS	QR64	TOGAMI Shunsuke	ROBLES Alvaro	8:11 7:11 11:5 5:11 11:13	1 - 4	ROBLES Alvaro
2018	World Tour Austrian Open Linz 2018	Qualification	MS	QR128	TOGAMI Shunsuke	ROBLES Alvaro	8:11 11:8 11:7 6:11 8:11 9:11	2 - 4	ROBLES Alvaro
2017	ITTF Challenge Croatia Open Zagreb 2017	Main Draw	MS	R32	TOGAMI Shunsuke	ROBLES Alvaro	2:11 11:7 7:11 9:11 5:11	1 - 4	ROBLES Alvaro

 

[Janard]

Not sure if it's too early to say so but seems like we are heading into a Golden Gen faceoff - Hirano vs Hayata?

 

[zeio]

WS SF
Hirano (5) 3-1 Nagasaki (2) (-4, 8, 6, 7)
Nagasaki had a fair start but then things inevitably went Hirano's way as it always had. Will Nagasaki ever beat Hirano in international tournaments?

Date	Event Name	Stage	Sub-Event	Round	Player A	Player B	Games	Result	Winner
Feb 2026	WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026	Main Draw	WS	R16	HIRANO Miu	NAGASAKI Miyu	8:11 12:10 11:9 4:11 11:9	3 - 2	HIRANO Miu
Mar 2020	ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open Doha 2020	Main Draw	WS	R32	HIRANO Miu	NAGASAKI Miyu	11:5 9:11 11:8 11:9 11:4	4 - 1	HIRANO Miu
Jun 2019	ITTF World Tour Platinum Japan Open Sapporo 2019	Main Draw	WS	R16	HIRANO Miu	NAGASAKI Miyu	8:11 11:5 11:5 12:10 11:9	4 - 1	HIRANO Miu
Aug 2018	World Tour Czech Open Olomouc 2018	Main Draw	WS	R16	HIRANO Miu	NAGASAKI Miyu	11:5 11:9 12:10 11:5	4 - 0	HIRANO Miu

 

[NextLevel]

Not sure if it's too early to say so but seems like we are heading into a Golden Gen faceoff - Hirano vs Hayata?

Well zeio believes the lost gen would do better if given a chance and their failure to defeat the golden generation shouldn't matter. I guess we needed another reminder in this tournament about where the problem truly lies though one could also have discerned that simply by observing that Miwa doesn't need any charity to get chances or do better.

It has been a pleasure watching Hirano throughout this tournament. I hope this is not a flash in the pan and she retains this level. Her play has been extremely confident and assured even against tricky opponents. She switches ball directions with confidence.

 

[JustANoob]

Oh my, Gauzy made Fang Bo look like me when I play against the local league players, almost heart-wrenching.

 

[NextLevel]

It has been interesting watching Coach Kihara at this event.

 

[NextLevel]

Very impressed with Tikhonov. Looks like another bomb that lost some of his prime junior years waiting to detonate with enough opportunity.

 

[zeio]

LIVE! | T1 | Day 3 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Singles SF & Mixed Doubles F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jHN1WLtBno
XD F
Tikhonov/Panfilova 3-0 Yoshiyama K/Ojio Y. (9, 4, 5)
Kihara as acting bench coach is funny. Smiley after smiley after smiley...

LIVE! | T1 | Day 2 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Session 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHHh6g2qYco
XD QF
Togami/Hayata (4) 0-3 Tikhonova/Panfilova (-8, -7, -2)

 

[zeio]

Not sure if it's too early to say so but seems like we are heading into a Golden Gen faceoff - Hirano vs Hayata?

First time reaching the final in both WS and WD (with none other than Kihara) of a WTT event for Hirano. The last time was at Czech Open 2019, losing to Gu Yuting/Mu Zi 1-3 in WD with Shibata and to CXT 3-4 in WS, after her first and only international win over Ishikawa, 4-1 in SF.

Not bad after reaching WS F at WTT SCT Chennai 2026 where some Tieba users still believed Hirano still has fight and could be a formidable member in WT.

2025/12/14
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/thread-about-japanese-players.38013/post-555503

It's in JTTA's best interest after WTT SCT London/Muscat 2025, XTWC 2025 and WTT F Hong Kong 2025. Doubles will be the main battlefield even though WR will be the major selection criterion.

Of the 3,
Hirano could remain somewhat competitive if she gives it another push given her sturdy body type (here and here) and to my surprise she will play WD with Kihara at Zennihon Takkyu 2026;
Hayata's injury- and disease-prone body type is just unsettling, and 3 years down the road?;
Ito's solo personality and the limit of her playing style and stubby body type are frankly out of tune with XT.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/thread-about-japanese-players.38013/post-555524

I don't know about that. I think I saw Hirano wearing a knee and back brace during a practice in some Douyin video. She didn't have any impressive results when she teamed up with Miwa for WD last year. The Miwa/Odo combo are ranked #2 winning 4 titles and making the finals of the Europe Smash. And Hayata has made a final at the China Smash with Joo Cheonhui (beating Miwa/Odo along the way). Not sure about WD, but Mima played exceptionally well with Shinozuka against Franziska/Kaufmann at the XTWC.

 

[Nick Rockwell]

Abraamian and Panfilova need more attention.

Panfilova has long reach like Polcanova and Kaufmann but is much faster and more agile, perhaps even more so than CY. And like Abraamian, Panfilova also has a good step-around FH.

WS R32
Ojio Y. 0-3 Panfilova (Q) (-10, -7, -7)

LIVE! | T2 | Day 1 | WTT Contender Almaty 2026 | Session 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pin7hUjYGY
https://youtu.be/4Pin7hUjYGY?t=9245
https://youtu.be/4Pin7hUjYGY?t=9267
https://youtu.be/4Pin7hUjYGY?t=9313

I found the entire Russian team to be amazingly strong. How did they get their flag rights back? No more blank white flag. I miss Haruna Ojio. She was so much fun to watch.