On the evening of August 19 Beijing time, the WTT European Grand Smash in Sweden witnessed a highly anticipated China vs Japan clash. Chinese international Qian Tianyi faced off against Japanese defensive chopper Honoka Hashimoto, who has been in strong form recently. In a disappointing performance, Qian was swept 0-3 and eliminated in the Round of 32, becoming the first women’s singles player from the Chinese Table Tennis Team to exit the tournament.
Match Highlights
Qian Tianyi (born 2000) once climbed as high as World No. 5, but her recent form has dipped, sliding to World No. 18.
Honoka Hashimoto, meanwhile, has been steadily rising, producing strong results against both Chinese and international players. She is currently ranked World No. 11, just one step away from the top 10.
Before losing to Sun Yingsha at the WTT Yokohama Champions earlier this month, Hashimoto stunned fans by winning 11 consecutive matches against Chinese players, including a dominant victory over World Champion Wang Yidi. Facing Qian Tianyi, she once again posed a serious threat.
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Match Recap
Game 1: Qian Tianyi struck first but soon fell victim to Hashimoto’s tricky spin variations. Despite leveling at 5-5, a series of errors saw her drop four straight points. She never recovered and lost 6-11.
Game 2: Qian’s struggles deepened as she fell behind 0-3, calling a timeout. It didn’t help — she quickly trailed 1-6 and eventually 2-10, before conceding the game 2-11 in a lopsided loss.
Game 3: Fighting to stay alive, Qian initially led 5-2 but again faltered under Hashimoto’s defensive pressure. Trailing 6-10, she saved one match point but ultimately lost 7-11, sealing a 0-3 defeat.
Post-Match Notes
Earlier in June at the WTT Zagreb Contender, Qian was upset 1-3 by another Japanese player, Miyu Nagasaki. This latest defeat to Hashimoto underscores her ongoing struggles against Japanese opponents and will require careful reflection from both Qian and the Chinese coaching staff.
For Hashimoto, the victory marks another milestone as she storms into the Round of 16, further solidifying her reputation as one of the toughest defensive specialists in women’s table tennis today.
