In a stunning turn of events, Japan overcame the defending champions, the Chinese mainland, with a 3-1 victory in the women's team final at the Asian Table Tennis Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday.
The match kicked off with world number four Wang Yidi from the Chinese mainland facing Miwa Harimoto of Japan. Despite Wang's strong start and leading 9-8 in the final game, Harimoto surged ahead, securing an 11-9 win and giving Japan an early 1-0 lead.
The Chinese mainland fought back in the second relay as world number one Sun Yingsha dominated against Mima Ito, leading 2-0 and ultimately winning 11-5 to level the score at 1-1.
In the third match, Miu Hirano of Japan faced China's Chen Xingtong. Hirano triumphed with a 3-1 victory, putting Japan ahead again with a 2-1 scoreline.
The decisive fourth relay saw Sun Yingsha initially taking control, winning the first two games 11-9 and 11-6 against Harimoto. However, a remarkable performance by a 16-year-old player forced a decider. She seized a 9-6 lead and completed a comeback victory with an 11-6 win, securing Japan's 3-1 triumph and the team title.
Reference(s):
Japan stun China 3-1 to win women's team title at Asian Championships
cgtn.com
