DAY 4 MATCH 28 – XU Xin vs HARIMOTO Tomokazu
Match 28: XU Xin (CHN) 4 – 1 Tomokazu HARIMOTO (JPN) (11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 5-4*)
A whiffed shot at the last point by Harimoto was how the match ended, but in truth the Japanese teenager was always chasing the game. At 29, Xu says he feels his mind, body and spirit remain young and he certainly showed a wealth of experience in extending his unbeaten record against Harimoto (7-0). The young Japanese gave us a glimpse of his potential of beating Xu in the future when he took a game off the latter, but on the day, the Chinese player’s quality shone through.
It was certainly better than having to play my own team-mate, as I feel there was less pressure. I also think the nature of this tournament allows everyone to just play freely and not worry too much about winning or losing.
After meeting him for the seventh time, I still have not figured out how to clear this obstacle. He’s a very good player and I think he’s continuing to improve.
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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Media contact: media@t2apac.com
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.
Media contact: media@ittf.com
