The Japanese men’s and women’s national table tennis teams returned to Tokyo on the 12th from London, where the World Team Championships were held, and held a press conference in the capital. Miwa Zhang (17, Kinoshita Group), who played a key role in the women’s team’s sixth consecutive silver medal, reflected, “The regret is strong.”
In the final against China, which had won six straight titles before the semifinals, Zhang defeated world No. 2 Wang Manyu 3-2 in the first match, overcoming a tough opponent she had lost to in all 11 previous encounters. Although the team lost 2-3, Zhang expressed satisfaction: “Since I had never won in 11 matches before, I’m happy to have won. It was a team event, and I felt the opponent was a bit timid. My backhand, which is my strength, felt lacking in some areas, but overall that day went well.”
On the day after the tournament ended, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) updated the world rankings. Zhang climbed two spots to a career-best No. 3. “Some fans calculated it for me, and just before the announcement I wondered, ‘Can I really get to No. 3?’ I’m aiming for No. 1, but I’m happy with my personal best.” However, regarding top-ranked Sun Yingsha and No. 2 Wang Manyu, she admitted the gap: “They are truly strong. Reaching that level is still far away. Both of them always make it to the finals in every tournament they enter. I still have a long way to go.”
To eventually reach world No. 1, Zhang believes consistency in play is crucial. “I need to be able to perform like I did against Wang Manyu in every match. That performance wasn’t mine yet—it just appeared that day. It hasn’t become part of me yet. My goal is to bring myself to the point where I can always compete, whether I win or not.”
