In the recently concluded table tennis WTT Frankfurt Championship in Germany, two of Japan's two biggest table tennis stars, Miwa Zhangmoto and Hina Hayata, met again. Despite being only 15 years old, she has already won against Japan's first sister Misei Ito and Miu Hirano. However, against Hina Hayata, Miwa Zhang always seemed to be at a disadvantage, and this match was no exception, as she lost 1-3 and lost the first game by a huge margin of 0-10.
Miwa Zhangmoto's technical characteristics lie in her physical condition and style of play. Her height and strength advantage give her an edge in terms of hitting power and spin. She has a wide range of strikes and is able to effectively use two large angles to attack. Against fast-attacking fighters like Mimato Ito and Hirano, Miwa was able to use her spin and power to control the match.
In contrast, Hina Hayata's style of play and physical condition are very different from Mimato Ito and Miu Hirano, which makes Miwa Zhangmoto's advantage almost nullified against her. Hina Hayada is tall and unconstrained by the size of her opponent's platform, but she also has the physicality and strength to compete with the Europeans. In addition, as a left-handed athlete, Hina Hayada has a natural landing and lane advantage against Miwa Haramoto, who plays right-handed.
Hayata's height and arm length give him a significant advantage in the game. He is able to reach both ends of the table more easily, which makes him more comfortable defending from afar. In addition, his long arms allow for more variation in his serve and spin, which adds a lot of threat to his offense.
For him, he will need to play to his speed and skill against an opponent like Hayata. Miwa Haramoto's style of play is known for being quick and changeable, and he needs to use that to break down Hayata's defense. In addition, Miwa Haramoto will also need to maintain a high level of concentration during the game and look for holes in Hayata's defense.
In such a duel, the choice of tactics is particularly important. Hayada may use his physical strengths to increase the difficulty of Mikazu Haramoto's catch with long-distance pulls and varied spins. Mikazu Haramoto, on the other hand, could take advantage of Hayata's height with quick under-ball and short-table attacks, causing difficulties in transitions.
In a high-level game, in addition to technique and tactics, mental quality is also a key factor in determining the outcome of the game. Both Hayata and Miwa Haramoto will need to stay calm in the game, especially when it comes to crucial points. Players who are better able to control their emotions tend to have the upper hand in the game.
To overcome Hayata's physical strengths, Miwa Zhang needed to use her speed and flexibility. He can force Hayada to move with quick sideways and short-ball strategies to find opportunities to attack. In addition, Miwa can also try to disrupt Hayata's rhythm with continuous fast attacks, taking advantage of his speed.
Table tennis is a sport that attaches equal importance to skill and strategy, and each player's style of play has its own uniqueness. The style of play of Miwa Zhang and Hayada is dominated by long balls, a style that is relatively rare in today's table tennis world, but it shows a unique effect and charm. Not only did they play against fast-attacking players in the near game, but they also showed excellent strength in their ability to hold each other.
The core of the long ball is to disrupt the opponent's rhythm through long-distance balls, forcing the opponent to make more moves and adjustments. This style of play is dominated by long balls when serving and receiving, reducing the use of short balls. The advantage of the long ball style is that it can effectively restrain the fast attacking players in the near table, forcing the opponent to retreat, thus breaking the opponent's attack.
Close-up fast-break players often rely on quick reflexes and control to gain an advantage. Miwa and Hayada played with long balls and played deeper, forcing the likes of players to retreat and losing their best fast-break position. This strategy has largely weakened the initiative and attack strength of the fast-break players in the near stage.
In the long ball play, the importance of holding the ability is self-evident. Since long balls tend to lead to a tie-and-play situation, in this case, whoever can maintain more stability and accuracy in the tie-down is more likely to win the game. Both Miwa and Hayada have shown a very high level in this regard, and they are not only consistent in the standoff, but also able to accurately find their opponents' weaknesses and attack.
In the process of stalemate, changing lines is another key to winning the game. Changing the line refers to the sudden change of direction of the ball in a stalemate, so as to confuse the opponent and create an attacking opportunity. Both Miwa and Hayada are adept at changing lines at crucial moments, and they are able to change the path of the ball when the opponent is least predictable to gain an offensive advantage.
Although the long-ball style of play has its own unique advantages, it also faces some challenges. First of all, the long ball tends to give the opponent more time to adjust, especially for those players who have a good defensive foundation and counter-attacking ability, and the long ball may become an opportunity for them to counterattack. Secondly, the long ball style requires players to have good physical fitness and stamina, as they tend to hold each other for a longer time.
The success of Miwa and Hayada lies not only in their technology, but also in how they combine technology with strategy. They are constantly adjusting their strategies in the game, choosing the most appropriate style of play according to the characteristics of their opponents and the actual situation of the game. This flexibility and adaptability is an important factor in their ability to succeed at a high level.
With the continuous development and change of table tennis technology, the long ball style may face new challenges and opportunities. Miwa and Hayada will need to continue to improve their skills and strategies to meet the challenges of a variety of styles. At the same time, their success has provided new ideas and inspiration for other players, which may prompt more players to try and refine this style of play.