WTT Finals Fukuoka: Hayata leads the new triple ace lineup.
Can't wait for the L.A. Olympics in 4 years!
Hayata Hina (24), the left-handed ace supporting the golden era. Born in 2000 in Fukuoka Prefecture. She won a bronze medal in singles at the Paris Olympics and aims for two gold medals in both individual and team events at the Los Angeles Olympics.The birth of the triple ace.
Three months have passed since the closing of the Paris Olympics, and signs of a golden age have appeared in Japanese women’s table tennis.
At the table tennis world tournament “WTT Finals Fukuoka 2024” held from November 20 to 24, the player who garnered the most attention from fans was neither ace Hina Hayata (24), who made her comeback in her hometown, nor Miu Hirano (24), a key figure in the Olympic team silver medal.
“It was Satsuki Odo (20). In this tournament, she achieved remarkable results, reaching the top eight in singles and finishing as runner-up in doubles, which propelled her to 8th place in the world rankings. Back in April, she was ranked 125th, so she has leapfrogged over 100 players,” said a reporter who covered the event on-site.
What is the key to her breakthrough? Hiroko Fujii, a former Japanese national table tennis team member who coached Odo during the Japanese Hopes National Team training camp, shared her insights.
“Odo’s playing style involves stepping back slightly from the table and making large arm swings, similar to Hayata’s style. This approach requires physical strength and the ability to apply spin to the ball, which is why many players with this style are late bloomers. A good example is Hayata, who took time to become the ace, while players like Hirano and Mima Ito (24) rose to prominence earlier.
Despite struggling to make her mark, Odo continued to hone her backhand drives and counters. This persistence has finally paid off, leading to her current remarkable progress.”
Sixteen-year-old Miwa Harimoto, even younger than Odo, also reached the top eight in this tournament.
“Although she lost to a Chinese player, her game has evolved. She doesn’t get overpowered or falter against top Chinese players. Harimoto will only continue to get stronger,” the same reporter commented.
Meanwhile, Hayata, who exited the tournament in the first round due to the effects of an injury, appears to have already set her sights on the next Los Angeles Olympics.
“I think Hayata is currently in a phase where she is willing to reform her playing style, even at the cost of abandoning her current one. After the Rio Olympics, Yoshizumi Ishikawa (31) struggled to achieve results due to being overshadowed by Ito and Hirano, but she gradually improved her play and won the All-Japan Championships in 2021 for the first time in five years, during the Olympic year. Hayata is now in a position similar to Ishikawa at that time,” the reporter explained.
With the emergence of a triple ace lineup of Hayata, Harimoto, and Odo, Japanese women’s table tennis is poised to overcome the Chinese players and stand at the pinnacle of the world stage at the Los Angeles Olympics in four years.
Miwa Zhang (16) Born in 2008 in Miyagi Prefecture. The 16-year-old, who participated in the Paris Olympics alongside her brother, is described by Fujii as the player with the most potential for growth.PHOTO： Jiji Press (Hayata, Ohto) Kyodo News (Zhang)
