Hayata’s Breakthrough Performance Hints at Future Wins Over China

Change in playing style

The Chinese Wall Was Too High

From August 14–24, the WTT Europe Smash took place in Sweden. On the eighth day, Hina Hayata (25) competed in the women’s singles third round but suffered a 0–3 defeat to world No. 1 Sun Yingsha (24), exiting in the Round of 16. This extended Hayata’s losing streak against Sun to 17 consecutive matches. Even in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics, she had been defeated by the queen, showing that she still struggled to compete at the highest level.

“In this tournament, Hayata’s left arm—injured in Paris—was still taped. There had been talk of her full recovery, but during the WTT Champions Yokohama from August 7–11, she took a medical timeout in the second round against Miwa Harimoto (17), citing discomfort in her left wrist. Her coach, Yusuke Oka, was suspected of giving advice during this timeout, causing a minor stir. It’s unlikely Hayata would break the rules, so it seems her left arm was genuinely not in perfect condition,” said a sports reporter.

Table tennis columnist Jota Ito notes the impact of the injury on Hayata’s playing style:

“Before the injury, Hayata appeared to adopt a strategy of playing rallies at about 80% power to induce mistakes. This is common among Chinese top players and is considered the most stable way to win. Players with high baseline ability can hit near full-power shots even at 80%, creating a stable, attack-oriented style.

Recently, Hayata has switched to an extremely aggressive, short-term strategy. She increasingly returns strong counters with her forehand against powerful shots from opponents. This comes with higher risk and more mistakes. She may be rushing points to avoid accumulating damage on her left arm during long rallies.”

At first glance, it may seem that the injury has prevented her from performing at her best. However, this change in style could also be a beacon of hope for defeating Chinese players.

“This could be a period to evolve her ultra-offensive game. Once her left arm is fully healthy, if she can switch seamlessly between her traditional defensive style and the new ultra-aggressive style, she might overcome Chinese competitors. It’s a case of blessings in disguise from the injury,” Ito said.

Hayata is currently preparing for her next event, the WTT Champions Macau from September 9–14, aiming to further evolve her playing style and reach the podium at an international tournament for the first time in a while.

From the September 12/19, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”