WTT Zagreb Contender: 4 Chinese Players Eliminated in Qualifiers — Main Draw Begins June 26 with Showdowns Against Harimoto Siblings and Hina Hayata
On June 26, the WTT Zagreb Contender enters its third day and the start of the main draw. Over the first two days, ten Chinese players competed in the qualifiers. Four were eliminated early, while six advanced to the main stage. In doubles, one Chinese pair narrowly made it through. With the competition intensifying, the Chinese team is preparing to take on international stars like Tomokazu Harimoto, Miyu Harimoto, Hina Hayata, and Shin Yubin.
Here’s a detailed recap and full schedule of what’s coming next.
🔍 Recap of the Qualifiers
Zagreb marks the third non-junior international event for Team China following the World Championships in Doha. The squad remains unchanged from the previous WTT Ljubljana Star Contender, though some adjustments were made in event entries.
Eliminated in Qualifiers:
Yuan Licen (0–3 to German chopper Filus)
Han Feier (1–3 to Korea’s Ryu Hanna)
Xu Haidong (1–3 to Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit)
Fan Shuhan (2–3 loss to teammate Xu Yi)
Advanced to Main Draw:
Men’s Singles: Xu Yingbin
Women’s Singles: Zhu Sibing, Liu Weishan, Xu Yi, Zhu Ziyu, Zhang Xiangyu
Doubles: He Zhuojia / Liu Weishan (5-game thriller win)
Meanwhile, top-ranked Chinese players like Xiang Peng, Chen Yuanyu, Zhou Qihao, Xue Fei, Huang Youzheng, Qian Tianyi, He Zhuojia, Shi Xunyao, Wang Xiaotong, and Yang Yiyun were directly seeded into the main draw. Their doubles pairs also skipped qualifying.
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📅 Main Draw Schedule Highlights — June 26 & Early June 27
🇨🇳 vs 🇯🇵 Matches (6 total):
19:55 – Xu Yingbin vs Tomokazu Harimoto
20:30 – Yang Yiyun vs Miyu Harimoto
21:05 – Xu Yi vs Hina Hayata
01:15 – Qian Tianyi / Shi Xunyao vs Miyu Harimoto / Satsuki Odo
01:15 – Chen Yuanyu vs Maharu Yoshimura
02:25 – Zhu Ziyu vs Sakura Yokoi
🇨🇳 vs 🇰🇷 Matches (3 total):
18:45 – Qian Tianyi vs Lee Eunhye
21:05 – Shi Xunyao vs Choi Haeun
23:30 – Liu Weishan vs Shin Yubin
Other Key Chinese Matchups:
18:10 – He Zhuojia vs Zhu Sibing (Chinese derby)
19:20 – Xiang Peng vs Huang Youzheng (Chinese derby)
00:05 – Zhou Qihao vs Böttsheimer (GER), Xue Fei vs Meissner (GER)
01:15 – He Zhuojia / Liu Weishan vs Chen Yi / Han Feier
01:50 – Huang Youzheng / Xue Fei vs Zeljko / Pistej (CRO)
02:25 – Zhang Xiangyu vs Liu Yangzi (AUS)
🔍 Key Players to Watch
Xu Yingbin, who has previously defeated Tomokazu Harimoto, faces a tough repeat challenge after an early exit in Ljubljana.
Yang Yiyun, a defensive chopper, will need to rely on variation and surprise against fast-paced Miyu Harimoto.
Xu Yi meets Hina Hayata, who is recovering from recent health issues — could an upset be on the cards?
In other matches:
Chen Yuanyu may have the edge over Maharu Yoshimura.
Qian Tianyi / Shi Xunyao recently lost to the Harimoto/Odo pair, setting the stage for a high-stakes rematch.
Liu Weishan faces a tough opponent in Shin Yubin, but the match is not unwinnable.
The outcomes of Zhu Ziyu vs Sakura Yokoi and Zhang Xiangyu vs Liu Yangzi are hard to predict.
🌍 International Highlights
Shunsuke Togami, fresh off beating Harimoto twice recently, will face fellow Japanese national champion Mizuki Oikawa.
Togami and Hina Hayata are also paired in mixed doubles against Korea-Japan duo Woo Jooncheol / Miyu Nagasaki.
Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Korea’s Joo Cheonhee will both play singles and team up in doubles.
With so many exciting matchups ahead, fans can expect drama, surprises, and possibly a few major upsets. Stay tuned for all the action as the WTT Zagreb Contender unfolds!
