Harimoto and Matsushima Reach Table Tennis Quarterfinals
Listen to the story
Japanese table tennis players have had a strong week at the WTT Europe Smash. WTT stands for World Table Tennis, a major international tour for top players.
Tomokazu Harimoto faced fellow Japanese player Shunsuke Togami in a tough match. The game went to a full match, meaning every set was played until the final point. Harimoto managed to win the close contest.
Eighteen-year-old Kio Matsushima also won an exciting game. He fell behind in the final stages but did not give up. Matsushima fought back to turn the match around and secure victory.
Thanks to these results, both players have reached the quarterfinals, the stage featuring the best eight competitors in the tournament. This is seen as a strong achievement for Japanese men's table tennis at this event.
In addition, an 18-year-old player was praised for a remarkable run, having defeated two experienced opponents, Honoka Hashimoto and Miyu Nagasaki. Commentators described this as a step into the ranks of the sport's elite, or top-level players.
Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Miwa Harimoto and Hina Sato are playing as a doubles pair, meaning two players compete together as one team. The duo has advanced to the final of the women's doubles event at the Europe Smash, giving Japan another strong chance for a title in this tournament.
Vocabulary7 words
- WTT
- big organisation that runs table tennis events
- full match
- a game played all the way to the last point
- fought back
- worked hard to win after almost losing
- quarterfinals
- the stage with the best eight players left
- elite
- the very best, top-level players
- doubles
- a match with two players playing together as a team
- duo
- a pair of two people
Quiz
Answer key
1. He won a close match that went the full distance 2. He fell behind but came back to win 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japanese table tennis players have had a strong week at the WTT Europe _____.
WTT stands for World Table _____.
Tomokazu Harimoto faced fellow Japanese player Shunsuke _____.
The game went to a full _____.
Eighteen-year-old Kio Matsushima also won an exciting _____.
He fell _____ in the final stages but did not give up.
Both players have reached the _____.
An 18-year-old player was praised for defeating Honoka Hashimoto and Miyu _____.
Miwa Harimoto and Hina Sato are playing as a doubles _____.
The duo has advanced to the _____ of the women's doubles event.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think close matches, like full-distance games, are exciting for fans to watch?
- What qualities help an athlete come back after falling behind late in a match?
- Why might reaching a quarterfinal be considered a big achievement for young players?
- How do individual results, like Harimoto's win, affect a team's overall success in a tournament?