[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Will the table tennis prodigies of Korea and Japan heat up the Tokyo table?
The future of Korean table tennis, Shin Yubin (17, Korean Air), and Japan's table tennis pillar, Ito Mima (21), will compete in the team event, each representing their nation's pride. Although the draw makes it unlikely, a Korea-Japan match could take place. If so, Shin Yubin and Mima are expected to face off in singles. The attention of both countries is expected to focus on the table battles between these two prodigies who will continue to compete on the world stage.
The women's table tennis team event at the Tokyo Olympics begins on the 2nd at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Shin Yubin will join her reliable senior teammates, Jeon Ji-hee (POSCO Energy) and Choi Hyo-joo (Samsung Life), to hunt for medals in the team event. Starting from the round of 16, the Korean team will face Poland in their first match. Japan will play against Australia in their opening game.
For the Korean team to win a medal, they must first overcome the Great Wall of China, expected to be a major hurdle. At the same time, they must prepare for a showdown with Japan, which has spared no investment aiming for the Tokyo Olympics. According to the current draw, Korea and Japan will not meet until the semifinals, and are more likely to face each other in the final or the bronze medal match.
If Korea and Japan meet, natural attention will focus on the showdown between the two table tennis prodigies. The team event consists of one doubles match and four singles matches. Players participating in doubles and singles can be changed for each match according to team strategy, and both Shin Yubin and Mima are likely to play at least one singles match.
Shin Yubin is expected to play one doubles match and one singles match. Since both Jeon Ji-hee and Choi Hyo-joo are left-handed and Shin Yubin is right-handed, to create a good doubles combination with both left and right-handed players, Shin Yubin is highly likely to be included in the doubles pair. She can also take on one of the four singles matches.
Mima, regarded as the ace of the Japanese team at this Tokyo Olympics, is expected to play two singles matches rather than doubles. In team events, it is common for the team’s best ace player to take on two matches strategically.
If they meet in the singles of the team event, it will be the second showdown between Shin Yubin and Mima. The two previously competed in the round of 32 at the 2019 Bulgaria Open. In that match, Shin Yubin was defeated 0-4 in sets.
Although three years have passed, Mima still objectively holds a slight edge over Shin Yubin in skill. Mima, three years older, is currently ranked 2nd in the world and has extensive international competition experience. In the mixed doubles at this Tokyo Olympics, she partnered with Mizutani Jun and broke the dominance of China, which aimed to sweep all events, winning the gold medal.
On the other hand, Shin Yubin has not participated in many world tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. However, over the past two years, she has improved her stamina and concentration through 'ball box training' at her team, Korean Air. This training involves continuously hitting table tennis balls passed from a box on the opposite side. Her forehand attacks, crucial for finishing scoring chances in singles matches, have become sharper.
Kang Moon-soo, head coach of Korean Air, analyzed, "If we face Japan, Shin Yubin is the player most likely to compete evenly with Mima," adding, "Shin Yubin’s defensive skills are good enough to withstand Mima’s attacks." Mima’s serve attacks are sharp. If Shin Yubin can receive them well and maintain long rallies, she has a chance to win. Mima is known to lose concentration and reveal weaknesses during long rallies. In the women’s singles semifinal against China’s Sun Yingsha, Mima showed this weakness and lost 0-4.
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