On the evening of June 26, the WTT Contender Zagreb tournament continued as Miwa Harimoto, Japan’s women’s singles top seed, faced China’s defensive specialist Yang Yiyun. In a one-sided match, Harimoto delivered a commanding 3-0 win to advance to the Round of 16, following in the footsteps of her brother, Tomokazu Harimoto, who earlier overcame a tough battle against China’s Xu Yingbin.
🏓 A Rare Clash of Styles: Defense vs Power
Born in 2003, Yang Yiyun is one of the few chopper-style defenders in the Chinese national team. While she serves an important role in training and sparring, her international achievements remain modest. Ranked No. 57 in the world, she entered this match as a clear underdog against Miwa Harimoto, the world No. 6, a core member of Team Japan and a consistent threat on the world stage.
Although the two had never faced off before, encounters with defensive players can be tricky, especially during first-time meetings, so there was still potential for a surprise.
📊 Match Summary
Game 1:
Yang Yiyun used her unique chopping defense and occasional counterattacks to force errors from Harimoto early on. However, the Japanese star soon found her rhythm, increasing the pressure with sharp loops. Despite blowing a 10–7 lead and calling a timeout, Harimoto used her backhand variations to seal the game 11–9.
Game 2:
Once again, Harimoto fell behind early but quickly adjusted, managing to neutralize Yang’s backspin and preventing her from executing counterattacks. With her aggressive rhythm intact, Harimoto took the game 11–6, moving one step closer to victory.
Game 3:
Yang showed some resilience, briefly leveling the score after a timeout, but the gap in skill and consistency was evident. Harimoto surged ahead to close the match 11–4, completing a straight-sets win and securing a spot in the last 16.
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👏 A Strong Night for the Harimoto Siblings
Just hours earlier, Tomokazu Harimoto made headlines by coming back from 0–2 down to defeat China’s Xu Yingbin 3–2, breaking through China’s defensive wall in dramatic fashion. Now, his younger sister Miwa Harimoto has followed suit, overpowering Yang Yiyun with a confident 3–0 win.
With both siblings advancing past Chinese opponents on the same day, eyes are now on how far they can go in Zagreb. Can they push even further? We’ll be watching closely.
