Honoka Hashimoto vs Yeh Yi-Tian | WS R64 | #EuropeSmash 2026

This point is so good. Ye Itien does everything right, and Honoka Hashimoto has the answer. Watch the placement on the table. Deep to the baseline, she's dangerous. The world knows Honoka can attack, but she hasn't had to yet. Crushing shot like a frisbee. Finally a shot that ends the rally. You just feel the heartbreaker that is Honoka Hashimoto in this rally. The 12th seed gets every bullet back until finally a perfect placement by Ye Itien. Remember, they're medium long. Okay for attacking, okay for chopping as well. Maybe better than okay for both. Not only has Ye Itien taken stress builds for Honoka. Loaded. Beautiful net recovery, Honoka gets the ball. Compared to almost all her teammates other than Hitomi Sato. Oh, beautiful. The greatest threat to Team China as a defender. Last checked, but Miwa Harimoto's gotta be moving on up that ranking quite a bit. And the short side of the table looks out. Table tennis is a game of rhythm, especially in the fast women's game. There it is, the killer forehand, and Honoka sends the ball back up the catwalk in a much tighter game than she would have hoped for. Ye Itien showing that she's improved, that she's worked hard to get here. And while I said it's a game of rhythm, especially in the fast women's game, somewhere behind the table, caught in the crossover. I'll tell you what I like about this. The data suggests that in game Ye Itien that failed to connect with the other side. It's gotta be physically exhausting, but the security, stability, and patience, keyword patience that Ye Itien brings. Think about that net ball that she recovered and just crushed the next ball after recovering the net. She didn't. She spun it softly to stay in the point. Good look at the short side. Dangerous, whatever the apology. It's so tough when someone attacks, and the longer they are, the more defensive they are. The less spin they generate on their own. Wow. Survived the twiddle, right into the middle, solving the riddle. Yeah, Itien, check it out. Drive deep. Honoka came in before, but that right there, right on the body, is double the score of her opponent. Two, five. Slow spin and variation, but the momentum still with the 12th seed, 12 of the last 16 points. Five, three, six, three. Oh, surprise, strawberry. Zhuang Zhiyuan's been working with Ye Itien for about five or six years now. Seven, five. They're down in Gaoshou. Oh, now we're talking. Oh, climbs the net, but doesn't come down on the table. The lob turns into a dart chop here. Honoka gets quickly back into the table. One lob, and now she says, let me see what I can do. In the touch game, Ye Itien keeps it low. Six, eight. It's tough when you feel that the opportunity's there. Patience has been the name of the game, but like any other time, you have to take risks, calculated risks. Send it back to two anyway. Six, five. A lot of work for one single point. Zhuang Zhiyuan there offering, as coaches do to their younger players sometimes, tactical instruction between points from time to time. Back edge of the table, Ye Itien, a little fortune. Side of the ball with the backhand. And an outright service point sets up three. Receipt game has been solid by Ye Itien. But the strawberry again, and Honoka Hashimoto find ways. She's finding ways to keep it on. On the bench behind Honoka Hashimoto now. Tough one to defend here. A little bit of a scrape off the top of the net for the chop coming in, which is why Ye Itien leaves it just a little bit high on this one. Playing cautiously, and Honoka goes inside out. And she is just turning it on. The forehands, when she steps around, her percentage is getting more and more consistent, just favoring this attacking game, which. Two, three, four. The reason I was saying I like the chomping game is you can feel the danger as she comes into the table. Your job as the attacker is to keep the chopper behind the table. Smart play. Good, good. And for the second time, for a little bit more spin, attempting for the more secure shot. That is so deadly. Three point lead for Honoka in what could be the last game of this match. Oh, good defense for a while, returns one from the pips. Honoka with a bit of net break there, which is why she raises her hand. Counter forehand to forehand, that's a tough one. And then, I think three recently in the WTT series. Ooh. But let. And she switches back to the other side, spin quickly. All the break here on the inside out forehand. Honoka steps around and sets up three match points. A lot of footwork on the other side. Hear the sound when Honoka hits it with the forehand. The twiddle takes care of business. What is where? Honoka turning, twisting, spinning strawberries, whatever she had to bring. She brought it here today. And while this is by far the best, you can find it on WorldTableTennis.com. And knowing that Han Ying is here as well, let me just tell you, we've got some exciting matches at hand. Miwa Harimoto fresh off her win. The Japanese team looking strong. There's the backhand with the black and she twiddles right back. Honoka has not dropped a game yet. Respect, handshake, and a clean sweep.