WTT Contender Zagreb 2023

[turbozed]

No thread on this yet, and this event is heating up heading into the 2nd round.

Though all eyes are on Miwa Harimoto and how she will fare against tougher competition this event, I'm glad to also see Haruna Ojio in the main draw and progressing into the Round of 16 with her best win ever (and a very dominant one too) over #6 ranked Qian Tianyi

 

[Gozo Aruna]

No thread on this yet, and this event is heating up heading into the 2nd round.

Though all eyes are on Miwa Harimoto and how she will fare against tougher competition this event, I'm glad to also see Haruna Ojio in the main draw and progressing into the Round of 16 with her best win ever (and a very dominant one too) over #6 ranked Qian Tianyi

Wait what?

Ojio won QTY?

No waaaaayyyyyyy!

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

No thread on this yet, and this event is heating up heading into the 2nd round.

Though all eyes are on Miwa Harimoto and how she will fare against tougher competition this event, I'm glad to also see Haruna Ojio in the main draw and progressing into the Round of 16 with her best win ever (and a very dominant one too) over #6 ranked Qian Tianyi

 

[quanghuysk]

so happy for Miu, waiting 5 years since she won Asian championship, now she lifted a cup again

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

so happy for Miu, waiting 5 years since she won Asian championship, now she lifted a cup again

no cup here

 

[v100ev]

Miu Hirano does it!

 

[quanghuysk]

no cup here

we call it a cup by winning a tournament. Is it ok?

 

[Kopp]

Miu Hirano does it!

BH to BH seems to be the way to beat the world #1.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

we call it a cup by winning a tournament. Is it ok?

you can call it what ever you want, but she sure didn't lift any cup.

It is a medal + award.

All the cups are currently back in long term storage in China

 

[quanghuysk]

you can call it what ever you want, but she sure didn't lift any cup.

It is a medal + award.

All the cups are currently back in long term storage in China

well, man, a trophy or award or whatever I dont care. She has just beaten World Number 1

 

[turbozed]

Amazing event for Hirano!

She must've lost every single long rally in the entire match but maanaged to win enough of the quick points with spin and pace variation. Whatever she's doing differently, the Chinese team don't seem to be prepared for.

 

[tackyfh]

Tonight was such a thrill, both matches went in the way of the underdog. I didn't even think Lin GY would fight so tenaciously.
For Hirano it felt like a relive of the 2017 Asian Championship, knocking down a string of CNT players to win the title

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

well, man, a trophy or award or whatever I dont care. She has just beaten World Number 1

yeah, I can clearly see you don't care.
lol

 

[zeio]

Fun facts:
First time Hirano played SYS after 4 years and 9 months since Buenos Aires 2018.
First encounter in the women's singles event, and in the final.
First time Hirano beats SYS. The last two matches at Buenos Aires 2018 were close.
First and only non-CNT player to defeat SYS in 3 years and 9 months (Ito 4-2 SYS, SF, Swedish Open 2019) and in the Paris 2024 period.
(Not 100% certain) First player to win a WTT event by defeating 3 CNT players, after first doing so at ATTC 2017.
(Not 100% certain) Highest win rate (8/15=53.3%) against CNT players in the Paris 2024 period.
Hirano (WR1 SYS and WR3 WYD in 2023) and Szocs (WR2 CM in 2022 and WR7 CXT in 2023) are the only 2 non-CNT players to have defeated more than 1 core CNT player in the Paris 2024 period.
WTT CT Zagreb 2023 F Hirano 4-3 SYS
Singapore Smash 2023 R32 Hirano 3-2 WYD

WTT CS Macao 2023 R32 Szocs 3-1 CXT
WTT CS Macao 2022 R16 Szocs 3-2 CM

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

you can call it what ever you want, but she sure didn't lift any cup.

It is a medal + award.

All the cups are currently back in long term storage in China

it looks more like a cup than a medal + award to me

ok its perhaps not shaped like the Holy Grail but it looks as much as a cup as the FIFA world cup to me

 

[quanghuysk]

View attachment 25802

it looks more like a cup than a medal + award to me

ok its perhaps not shaped like the Holy Grail but it looks as much as a cup as the FIFA world cup to me

you're completely wrong, all the cups or trophies belongs to his CHINESE, it's a fact

 

[quanghuysk]

Fun facts:
First time Hirano played SYS after 4 years and 9 months since Buenos Aires 2018.
First encounter in the women's singles event, and in the final.
First time Hirano beats SYS. The last two matches at Buenos Aires 2018 were close.
First and only non-CNT player to defeat SYS in 3 years and 9 months (Ito 4-2 SYS, SF, Swedish Open 2019) and in the Paris 2024 period.
(Not 100% certain) First player to win a WTT event by defeating 3 CNT players, after first doing so at ATTC 2017.
(Not 100% certain) Highest win rate (8/15=53.3%) against CNT players in the Paris 2024 period.
Hirano (WR1 SYS and WR3 WYD in 2023) and Szocs (WR2 CM in 2022 and WR7 CXT in 2023) are the only 2 non-CNT players to have defeated more than 1 core CNT player in the Paris 2024 period.
WTT CT Zagreb 2023 F Hirano 4-3 SYS
Singapore Smash 2023 R32 Hirano 3-2 WYD

WTT CS Macao 2023 R32 Szocs 3-1 CXT
WTT CS Macao 2022 R16 Szocs 3-2 CM

I believe the most important thing is that her confidence is back. She has been really focused, taking each point seriously, and not dwelling too much on the points she lost. Hopefully, she can maintain her motivation and secure a spot for singles in Paris 2024.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I believe the most important thing is that her confidence is back. She has been really focused, taking each point seriously, and not dwelling too much on the points she lost. Hopefully, she can maintain her motivation and secure a spot for singles in Paris 2024.

Hirano also just won the latest internal selection tournament (Nojima Cup) for Paris 2024, (she beated Ito in the final, Hayata lost to Ito in SF)

 

[John Birkin]

Great to see Miu Hirano back at this level: she is incredibly fast and was hitting beautifully on both wings - a lesson for anyone in what you can achieve without being super strong! I was also delighted to see Lin Gaoyuan playing so superbly, another player making his way back up to the top after one or two fallow years: like Miu, he looked a bit solider on his BH, and his FH topspin technique is brilliant. Let's also give a mention to Korea's Jeon Jihee and Shin Yubin, winners of the women's doubles. If Japan and Korea can somehow put a few dents in the Chinese women, it improves the competition no end.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

it looks more like a cup than a medal + award to me

ok its perhaps not shaped like the Holy Grail but it looks as much as a cup as the FIFA world cup to me

Yeah, I will just pulling the guys leg, but got his whole body sucked in.

Since WTT took over, the word WORLD is in there, so people think a small "pro tour" is something major.

There is a young player that I saw, first "winner" for its countries in ages (good news to be honest), but the media calls her - World table tennis Champion. I guess all the non TT people will think, she is the world champion. She only won a Mixed Doubles event, in a location where there was no competition. That won also force a jump (her and her partner) into U15 XD no 10. And she become top 10 in the world with something like 3 or 4 XD matches played in one junior circuit tour, but medal in her home countries treats her as Top 10 player in the world.
These things are all 2023 stuff, you will never see this in the old days.


Any ways, here are the cups.

It would be great that these cups finds new home, the home since 2003 (Men's singles) and 2010 (women's teams) has been none only than China.
Hence, I call it long term storage in China.

Showcasing the St. Bride Vase for men's singles and Geist Prize for women's singles.

Is Hirano back?
I do hope so.
She is so close to early retirement and pressure is on her!