■Nathan Shiga: January 21

Tomohiro Harimoto, aged 14, trounced the legendary TT master Jun Mizutani in men’s singles final to win Emperor’s Cup, while Mima Ito, 17, ousted last year’s champion Miu Hirano in women’s singles final to grab Empress’ Cup in the last day of the All Japan Table Tennis Championships today at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

The final day of the TT Championships staged quarterfinals and finals in both men’s and women’s singles and turned out to be ultra-historic as teenagers dominated the floor throughout the day. The all-time “Prince of Table Tennis” Kasumi Ishikawa, 24, attempted in vain to reach the final and “Prince of Table Tennis” Jun Mizutani, 28, failed to stretch his winning streak to 10 in All Japan Table Tennis Championships.

The most memorable was the dramatic way Harimoto blocked Mizutani in every step of his way to organize the final game. Harimoto proved faster in crucial counterattacks and more formidable in killing strokes into either side. Mizutani could not shake off mental damages from his previous encounter (1-4) in the 2017 World Cup.

Mizutani had his hat off after the game, commenting:

” I have often played with Chiese players and I say Harimoto is just as tough to beat – nobody can beat him now. Good thing I had won the championship that often before Harimoto came by. Yes, He is really tough now.”

Miu Hirano,17, must have felt the same way facing Mima Ito,17, in women’s singles final. Hirano is the current champion in Japan and Asia and supposedly had her confidence and pride to outplay Ito today.

But then, the outcome proved Ito was faster in tempo and stronger in stroke than Hirano through the game which Ito dominated in 4-1.

The Olympics well in sight, Japan has good reason to hope to hoist Hinomaru in table tennis to regain her supremacy in the sport long dominated by China.

—Sponsered Link—