WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 (15 - 20 September 2026)

[kindof99]

I’m very impressed with Li Tianyang. Did really well in the CTTSL and now doing well at these events. Too early to say but he could leapfrog LSD and take the 2nd Olympics single slot. If WCQ fails again at the Olympics Singles, LTY style of play may make the opponents more uncomfortable and more likely China will get the Men’s gold in Singles if FZD ain’t coming back.

Haha, leapfrog thinking...

 

[kindof99]

This two deserve it

ZQH is nicknamed Battery No 7 and he might be out of power at any time

 

[Janard]

Oh wells, thought it would at least be a full five-gamers between Hirano and Odo.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Good effort from Hirano, but she's now lost her last 3 matches against Odo and has not won a single game in any one of them.

 

[piligrim]

ZQH is nicknamed Battery No 7 and he might be out of power at any time

From begining I read Butterfly No 7 )))

 

[zeio]

XF: I prep for Harimoto year-round
ZQH: I prep for GER year-round

H2H as of this writing:
6-0 Ovtcharov
5-0 Duda
2-1 QD
3-2 Franziska

周启豪是如何成为德男杀手的 (How Zhou Qihao Became a "German Men Slayer")
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/11036324214
乒乓球迷版 其中三场胜利来自拉各斯战神周启豪，一串三
IP属地:江苏来自iPhone客户端2楼2026-09-19 15:57回复
(Three of the victories came from Zhou Qihao, the Lagos War God, 3 in a row)

永恒的霜冰 今年怎么偏偏是世界杯输了
IP属地:北京来自Android客户端4楼2026-09-19 16:08收起回复
(Why did the World Cup loss have to happen this year of all years?)

 

[kindof99]

ZQH just made the new generation of CNT look bad.

 

[zeio]

LIVE!| T1 |Day 3 |WTT Star Contender Astana - President' Cup 2026 Presented by Nomad TT Academy | QF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfCU-v9Dqcw
WD F
Hashimoto/Diaz 1-3 Hirano/Kihara (8, -10, -9, -5)
G3 51, 52, 62, 64, 84, 87 TO for JPN/PUR, 88, 98, 911
G4 14, 24, 26, 36, 37, 47 Kihara served outside the quarter, 48, 58, 511
Kihara played a crucial role in turning the tables in G3 while Hirano was having trouble adjusting her shots.
3 back-to-back WD titles in 3 weeks.

LIVE!| T2 |Day 2|WTT Star Contender Astana - President' Cup 2026 Presented by Nomad TT Academy | S2
https://youtu.be/ueTk5xnQj3s?t=9595
WD SF
WYD/Han Feier (4) 1-3 Hirano/Kihara (-8, -8, 7, -4)

WTT CT Almaty 2026
https://www.worldtabletennis.com/eventInfo?eventId=3247
WTT CT Panagyurishte 2026
https://www.worldtabletennis.com/eventInfo?eventId=3253
WTT SCT Astana 2026
https://www.worldtabletennis.com/eventInfo?eventId=3254

WS QF
Kihara WR25 (9) 3-2 Hashimoto WR15 (4) (-6, -7, 9, 4, 4)
Hard to believe the last time these two played overseas was back in 2019.

Hirano WR26 (10) 0-3 Odo WR12 (2) (-6, -9, -9)

2025/4/12
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/wtt-contender-taiyuan-2025.36976/post-518561

Kihara lost to Hashimoto in 4 games in QF at Zennihon Takkyu 2020.
Kihara won in 5 games in R16 at Zennihon Takkyu 2023.
Still so confident?

Also, Kihara/Nagasaki 3-2 Sato/Hashimoto at Zennihon Takkyu 2024. And keep in mind Hashimoto got eliminated by Ushijima, a chopper, in WS R32 and Sato/Hashimoto exited in R16 at Zennihon Takkyu 2025.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/wtt-contender-taiyuan-2025.36976/post-518518

The last time Kihara played a chopper was in 2023. If she has come out of her dad's incident, then it won't be an easy ride for Hashimoto. As I've repeated stressed, JNT players are now better than CNT players at playing defenders. It is jumping to conclusions for pongfugrasshopper to say "I don't see anyone beating Hashimoto in the bottom half".

Date	Event Name	Stage	Sub-Event	Round	Player A	Player B	Games	Result	Winner
Aug 2019	ITTF World Tour Czech Open Olomouc 2019	Main Draw	WS	R32	KIHARA Miyuu	HASHIMOTO Honoka	11:3 14:16 8:11 11:9 11:8 8:11 5:11	3 - 4	HASHIMOTO Honoka

 

[Bran]

XF: I prep for Harimoto year-round

That made me chuckle. 😁

Can't count on him for much except beating Harimoto.

 

[JustANoob]

That made me chuckle. 😁

Can't count on him for much except beating Harimoto.

He hates the noise, but unlike the rest of us like that, he can actually do something about it.

 

[FIXPOINT]

WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 WS QF

WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 MS QF

 

[FIXPOINT]

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

Sun, 20th Sep 2026
11:00 T1 WS SF WANG Yidi(CHN) - Hitomi SATO(JPN)
11:40 T1 WS SF Miyuu KIHARA(JPN) - Satsuki ODO(JPN)
12:20 T1 MS SF Alexis LEBRUN(FRA) - ZHOU Qihao(CHN)
13:00 T1 MS SF LI Tianyang(CHN) - Dang QIU(GER)
13:40 T1 XD Final KOBAYASHI(JPN)/KIHARA(JPN) - CHEN(CHN)/WANG(CHN)
17:00 T1 WS Final -
17:45 T1 MS Final -

 

[FIXPOINT]

WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 WD Final

WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 MD Final

WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 XD SF

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Batra took an out-of-specific-training Hirano 5 games to beat last week.

Date	Event Name	Stage	Sub-Event	Round	Player A	Player B	Games	Result	Winner
Oct 2024	27th ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships 2024	Main Draw	WT	SemiFinal	BATRA Manika	ODO Satsuki	11:6 11:5 11:8	3 - 0	BATRA Manika
Mar 2018	World Tour Qatar Open Doha 2018	Qualification	WS		BATRA Manika	ODO Satsuki	11:6 11:5 11:8 11:6	4 - 0	BATRA Manika

Good to see that Satsuki Odo has evolved from 2 years ago.

 

[astarr]

Hitomi Sato with a comeback win over Wang Yidi to reach the final! She’ll face the winner between Kihara and Odo.

 

[NextLevel]

I guess Kawakamiq.

Good effort from Hirano, but she's now lost her last 3 matches against Odo and has not won a single game in any one of them.

In all things, we preach patience. Even such losing streaks can end, even if it is unlikely. We still remember the tennis example of Gerulaitis vs Connors. The opposing rvidence is primarily Hina Hayata vs Sun Yingsha and Dimitry Ovtcharov vs Ma Long.

 

[NextLevel]

Final: Li Tianyang - ZQH

It was a good call and I give you credit for it but i suspect both playera will now face the best players they have faced in the event in the #1 and #2 seeds. Will take a lot.

 

[pingpongnerd]

Li Tianyabg serve looks illegal

 

[chandyrandy]

Final: Li Tianyang - ZQH

womp womp you jinxed it!

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

I guess Kawakamiq.

In all things, we preach patience. Even such losing streaks can end, even if it is unlikely. We still remember the tennis example of Gerulaitis vs Connors. The opposing rvidence is primarily Hina Hayata vs Sun Yingsha and Dimitry Ovtcharov vs Ma Long.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if the losing streak ends, but it does present a bit of a stumbling block in Hirano's run for making the Olympic team. Satsuki still has a pretty tight grip on that 3rd spot, but we'll see what happens in the coming year.