The 2024 China Table Tennis Super League is set to return, with the four teams that have advanced to the semi-finals set to compete for the championship. For fans of table tennis, this will be a feast. As the grand finale of the Chinese table tennis scene this year, it is something to look forward to! As the Super League is about to kick off, the Japanese T League is in full swing. In a recent women's team match, the Kanagawa Club faced off against the Kyoto Club. The Kanagawa Club, with its superior strength, swept the Kyoto Club with a decisive score of 4-0.
The Kanagawa Club boasts a plethora of talented players. Not only do they have rising stars like Zhang Benmei, but they also have world champions like Hirano Miu. In contrast, the opponent, the Kyoto Club, is clearly inferior in terms of lineup and pairing.
In the first doubles match, the duo of Miharu Kikuchi and Misuzu Nagasaki from the Kanagawa Club defeated the Kyoto Club's Chigusa Shirakumo pair with a 2-0 victory. In the second singles match, Zhang Benmei faced off against Izumi Itsuki.
Zhang Benmei, ranked in the top ten in the world, faced an opponent who was relatively unknown. What was expected to be a one-sided match turned out to be challenging for Zhang Benmei. In the first game, Izumi Itsuki quickly found her rhythm while Zhang Benmei started slowly. Izumi Itsuki took the lead with an 11-8 win. After losing the first game, Zhang Benmei woke up from her dream. In the second game, Zhang Benmei unleashed her full power, winning quickly with an 11-3 score. The two were tied at 1-1. In the following two games, although Izumi Itsuki attempted to counterattack, she had no real solutions against the now fully unleashed Zhang Benmei. With two consecutive 11-5 victories, Zhang Benmei emerged victorious with a 3-1 comeback. The Kanagawa Club took a 2-0 lead over the Kyoto Club.
In the third match, Misuzu Nagasaki from the Kanagawa Club defeated Chigusa Shirakumo from the Kyoto Club with a 3-0 victory. In the fourth match, world champion Hirano Miu took the court. Her opponent was Yuzuri Kanazawa from the Kyoto Club. Hirano Miu's performance has been increasingly stable. In the first game, both sides engaged in a thrilling duel, but Hirano Miu seized the opportunity stronger in the closing stages, taking the lead with an 11-9 victory. Entering the second game, Hirano Miu pressed on with her advantage. Yuzuri Kanazawa was completely out of sync. Hirano Miu won quickly with an 11-3 score. In the third game, although Yuzuri Kanazawa tried to make a last-ditch effort, Hirano Miu was simply superior in skill, winning another game with an 11-8 score. Ultimately, Hirano Miu secured the victory with a 3-0 win. Hirano Miu made a triumphant start!
Thus, the Kanagawa Club defeated the Kyoto Club with a 4-0 victory. It must be acknowledged that the performances of Zhang Benmei and Hirano Miu were truly commendable. A new Olympic cycle has begun, and they will undoubtedly be the top rivals for the Chinese women's table tennis team! We hope that Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu can continue to suppress their opponents! Go for it!