DAY 3 MATCH 23 – NIWA Koki vs HARIMOTO Tomokazu
Match 23: Koki NIWA (JPN) 2 – 4 Tomokazu HARIMOTO (JPN) (11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 3-11, 5-11, 3-5*)
A proverbial game of two halves with Niwa starting the better and Harimoto finishing the stronger. With both knowing each other’s games well, this match would be decided on mental strength. Despite going 2-0 behind, Harimoto was not ready to concede as he worked his way back in. And once the teenager gained the advantage, he just kept building on it as Niwa crumbled under the pressure.
It’s been a exhausting season chasing Olympic qualification. I feel like my game is coming around at the right time and this has been a good outing for me.
I didn’t feel confident at first, especially after losing the first set. I told myself to hang in there. A mindset change helped me in the third game and from then on, my game improved.
About T2 Diamond Table Tennis League (T2 Diamond):
T2 Diamond Table Tennis League is the most prestigious series of annual professional events organised in collaboration with the International Table Tennis Federation. T2 Diamond 2019 will feature 32 of the world’s best men’s and women’s players competing across three tournaments for a combined prize purse of USD 1.5 million, and bonus ITTF World Ranking points as they battle their way to 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualification. The revolutionary league employs a unique competition format and various other innovations that catapult table tennis into a truly entertaining spectator sport, whilst providing players with the ultimate environment in which to compete and excel.
Headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Shanghai, Tokyo and Chicago, T2 Diamond is committed to unlocking the true commercial potential of table tennis by expanding its appeal through its high quality, immersive content and venue experience.
Find out more about T2 Diamond at www.t2diamond.com
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About International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF):
The International Table Tennis Federation is the global governing body of Table Tennis. Affiliated to six Continental and 226 National Associations, the ITTF coordinates over 100 international events per year and has long been represented at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In accordance with its Strategic Plan, the ITTF is fully committed to growing the sport in five key areas: Organisation & Governance, High Performance & Development, International Events, Promotion and Revenue.
Find out more about the International Table Tennis Federation at ITTF.com.
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