In the field of women's table tennis in Japan, despite its strength, it faces internal discord, and the recent departure of Miki Ito and Miu Hirano has attracted widespread attention. These two were once the first sister-level players of Japanese women's table tennis, but due to dissatisfaction with the opportunity arrangement, they chose an extreme way to express their dissatisfaction, resulting in the punishment of a year-round ban.
Mijo Ito, as an outsourcing player who won the Olympic gold medal, was once a highlight of Japanese women's table tennis. However, since the Tokyo Olympics, her performance has gradually flattened, and the gap with her teammates has widened. What is even more shocking is that due to dissatisfaction with not getting a singles opportunity, Ito Mijo chose to withdraw from the Hangzhou Asian Games, which directly led to the fate of the year's ban. Her second place in the Olympic points ranking may have been overtaken by other players after the ban period, which has had an impact on the strategy of Japanese women's table tennis.
Miu Hirano highlighted her strength with a series of brilliant results. She not only won the women's singles championship in the Zagreb Challenge, but also won consecutive victories over national table tennis players such as Liu Weishan, Qu Man and Sun Yingsha. In the Singapore Grand Slam, Miyu Hirano even defeated Wang Yidi and showed excellent competitive form. However, despite her impressive performance, she was banned for the entire year for unknown reasons. The decision is puzzling and makes the competitive landscape of the Paris Olympic cycle even more confusing.
The departure of these two first-sister-level players provides an opportunity for the rise of the younger generation. Japanese women's table tennis ushered in the promotion of young forces, among which Miyu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki became high-profile new stars. Miki Ito's decision to leave the court shows the importance that Japanese table tennis attaches to the new generation of players, and also indicates that their future development direction will be younger.
Observing the progress of Miki Ito and Miu Hirano as we see the gradual decline of the once brilliant first-sister-level players. Ito's mediocre performance after the Tokyo Olympics, combined with a year-round ban due to her withdrawal, raises doubts about her future competitive career. The departure of Miu Hirano was even more surprising, as despite her impressive record, the decision to ban her lost her chance in the competition for the Paris Olympic cycle.
In the Olympic points standings, Miki Ito and Miu Hirano are currently second and third respectively, but they may face overtaking by other players after the ban period. Miyu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki have become the mainstays leading the future of women's table tennis in Japan, and through multiple challenges, championships and World Cup finals, they are expected to fight for more points for Japanese table tennis, which in turn will affect the configuration of the Olympic lineup.
The internal problems of women's table tennis in Japan are in stark contrast to the rise of a new generation of players. On the one hand, the discord and extreme behavior of veterans have raised questions, and on the other hand, the rise of young players has injected new vitality into Japanese table tennis. In the arena of the future, we may see a fierce battle between experience and new blood. This also makes people look forward to what kind of new chapter Japanese women's table tennis will usher in in the future international arena.