How Powerful Is China’s Table Tennis Super League? Japan’s World Champion Miu Hirano Returns Just Weeks After Collapse
The 2025 China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) is set to kick off on June 9, and this year’s edition has attracted numerous international players. Among them is a world champion—Japan’s Miu Hirano.
What’s truly remarkable is that Hirano collapsed on May 19 during the World Table Tennis Championships in Doha due to hyperventilation syndrome. She had to rest and withdrew from Japan’s national team training camp, even canceling her European tournament appearances. Yet, after signing with CTTSL, she swiftly resumed preparations, a clear sign of how compelling the Chinese league is—even for top international stars.
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A Familiar Face to Table Tennis Fans
Born in 2000, Miu Hirano has been in the global spotlight since her teens. At just 16, she won the Women’s Singles title at the World Cup, becoming the youngest singles world champion in table tennis history. At 17, she shocked China by beating Ding Ning, Chen Meng, and Zhu Yuling back-to-back to win the Asian Championships. She later claimed World Championships bronze in women’s singles.
Hirano has had close ties with Chinese coaching since early on. Her key mentor during her prime development years was Rui Nakazawa—formerly Wang Rui, a Hebei-born Chinese player and now head coach of Japan’s women’s team. Hirano also has a long history with the CTTSL.
Her First CTTSL Experience Dates Back to 2016
In 2016, Hirano joined China’s CTTSL, playing for the Ordos club. Although she had won the World Cup that year, China’s top players didn’t participate in that edition, so the Chinese team and its fans hadn’t yet viewed her as a serious threat.
But everything changed in 2017 when Hirano won the Asian Championships, prompting the Chinese team to elevate her status to “key rival.” Coincidentally, that same year, the CTTSL suspended all foreign signings, ending her connection with the league—until now.
A Triumphant Return in 2025
In 2025, Hirano is back in the CTTSL, this time joining powerhouse Shenzhen University, where she teams up with Chinese national team stars Sun Yingsha, Kuai Man, and rising prospect Qin Yuxuan. With Hirano’s addition, Shenzhen becomes the only women’s team with three world champions, making them instant gold-medal favorites.
However, Hirano’s recent health scare in Doha can’t be ignored. After the incident, she admitted:
“I used to think winning and losing was everything in sports. But the moment I collapsed, I realized that when your body breaks down, nothing else matters.”
She originally planned to take time off—but clearly, the allure of CTTSL reignited her fighting spirit.
Looking Ahead
Miu Hirano’s rapid return from illness to elite-level competition underscores the unique prestige and pull of China’s domestic league. All eyes will be on her as she steps back into the arena. Let’s see what this resilient champion can bring to the Chinese stage.
