Japanese pair of Miyu Nagasaki and Miwa Harimoto.
Photo Credits: The Goan
PANAJI
The unheralded Japanese pair of the 20-year-old Miyu Nagasaki and teen sensation Miwa Harimoto capped off a brilliant tournament in women's doubles with a straight sets win at 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 against the World No. 13 pair of Cheng-I-Ching and Li Yu-Jhun (Chinese Taipei) in the finals of the WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
Miyu, an accomplished player in the category at the senior level, with a women's doubles individual ranking of 6 teamed up with her prodigious 14-year-old T-League teammate to win their first major career women's doubles title together. The title was their destiny as they reached the final without dropping a game while Cheng and Li had to slug it out in a five-setter in the semis to make it to the final.
Speaking exclusively to 'The Goan' after their triumph, the WTT Goa women's doubles Japanese pair were visibly thrilled by their performance in their interaction. "We are immensely happy that we have made good progress together to win the WTT Star Contender Title in Goa," they stated. The more experienced Miyu may have not had much international exposure partnering Miwa earlier, but they have an understanding and chemistry of each other's game having won a title earlier in the T-League as a women's doubles pair. Miyu and Miwa represent Kinoshita Abyell Kanagawa, one of the six women's teams in the premier Table Tennis league in Japan, and their unsung bonding and flair came to prominence in the prestigious tournament in Goa. Apart from playing in the first professional league in Japan as a pair, they have also played together in Turkey.
Miyu who has had respectable world rankings in women's doubles with other compatriots, had her game plan in place teaming up with the precocious Miwa for this tournament. "I like to create the opportunity for my doubles partner to make a point," she revealed. In fact, for Miwa, within a year of playing in adult Table Tennis events, won her second title here. She had earlier paired up with her older brother, Tomokazu Harimoto to win the mixed doubles title at the WTT Contender Tunis 2022. "No matter who I put up with, I like to play well, " the fast-rising Table Tennis star stated. Comparatively between her two major titles, Miwa rates the Goa tournament as a better win. "This tournament for me was more difficult as the standard of our opposition was stronger," the 14-year-old Table Tennis star pointed out.
For Miwa, the WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 as a whole was a dream run first taking runners-up mixed doubles honours along with fellow Japanese Shunsuke Togami, and then reaching the women's singles semi-finals and losing to the eventual champion (Wang Yidi) of the said event in a five-game humdinger, on the penultimate day, before ensuring it was third time lucky on the concluding day. "I am very happy that I could play my game the way I wanted to and win the championship in the women's doubles," the dimple-cheeked precocious talent gushed.
Miyu opined that her young compatriot is a very gifted, rare-breed in the game. "When I was 14, I was not as good as her (Miwa). So I think she is really good for her age," Miyu remarked.
On Friday, Miwa told this paper, she had not had any good results in international tournaments recently and just wants to play well and not worry about the outcome. On Sunday, she proved that she could be starting a new chapter in her career, and the only way forward is among the galaxy of superstar paddlers in World Table Tennis. With the guidance of players like Miya Nagasaki, her older brother Tomakazu Harimoto and the professional league set-up in Japan, one can only foresee better days for the World No. 41 Miwa and Japan on the global Table Tennis stage.
