Hina Hayata (Photo World Taekwondo)
Hina Hayata and teenager Sora Matsushima picked up stunning women’s and men’s titles for the first time at the WTT Champions Frankfurt.
World No.13 Hayata claimed a Champions women’s singles crown for the very first time in her career, defeating top seed Miwa Harimoto in seven games 11-4, 11-8, 4-11, 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in the final.
Two weeks on from falling to Harimoto in the Final at WTT Star Contender London 2025, Hayata finally got her revenge, bagging her eighth WTT Series winner’s trophy on Sunday, and smashing her previous best WTT Champions result from Frankfurt 2023, where she reached the semifinals.
Hayata kicked things off with a perfect start, racing ahead to a 10-1 lead, before taking the opener 11-4, as she caught the top seed cold in a brisk opener.
Harimoto would improve her score two-fold in the second game, but Hayata continued to pile on the pressure, initialising loop and counter-topspin attacks at each and every possible opportunity, resulting in a 2-0 game lead for the No.3 seed.
Momentum would shift from the third game, however, with Harimoto firing back with vicious offensive play, claiming a five-point win-streak towards the latter stages, eventually taking the game 4-11.
The scoreboard continued to favour the top seed into the fourth game, Harimoto shooting out of the blocks with a 7-0 advantage. It became a game of streaks, as Hayata hit back to 5-7, only for Harimoto to power through to take the game 6-11, levelling proceedings at two games apiece.
It was at this stage where fans began to wonder whether there would be a repeat of the women’s singles Final from two weeks ago in London, where Harimoto clawed her way back from a 0-2 game deficit to strike a 4-3 victory against Hayata.
Leading 3-6 in the fifth game, fate seemed to be pointing Harimoto towards that outcome. But a surprise turn of events would occur, as a jaw-dropping recovery saw Hayata steal eight points in a row to win the game 11-6, the latter now within striking distance of the title in Frankfurt.
“It was a really tough match from the very start! Last time I played her at WTT Star Contender London 2025, it was also a very tight match, and playing her in Frankfurt, I felt very tired. So, I just focused on what I could do well, and prioritised enjoying and trying my very best in the match,” said Hayata.
Indeed, Hayata was the stronger player for much of the sixth game, often leading Harimoto by a multi-point margin. At 9-8, however, things changed. Hayata called time out, but it was Harimoto who would profit, dominating the following three points with brisk receive and topspin play to clinch the game 9-11.
The crowd on the edges of their seats, play got underway in the final game, Harimoto bringing the heat with a 3-5 point lead at the change of ends. At 3-6, Harimoto would make an uncustomary smash error off a high ball, which gave Hayata the chance to pounce, the latter winning four consecutive points, before a thrilling topspin exchange won by Harimoto tied things up at 7-7.
The match reached its boiling point. A snatched forehand from Harimoto, and quick play from Hayata would see the latter go on to hold two Championship Points at 10-8.
Harimoto would save the first, but was denied the second, as Hayata unleashed a whole new level of table tennis to triumph in a breathtaking topspin rally, sealing her maiden title in Germany.
“I guess experience helped me win, but last time I lost against her, so I just think that I had a little more luck this time. Her performance was wonderful, I didn’t think much about the difference in age, and I have learned a lot from her and was better this time than in London. I just didn’t give up, and that’s what I did well today,” added Hayata.
Eighteen-year-old star Matsushima denied German favourite Dang Qiu at the last to capture his first title at this level, winning 11-8, 15-13, 11-13, 18-16, 11-9.
For the second week running, Sora Matsushima was competing in a WTT Champions Finals, and just as was the case in Montpellier, he’d have to block out the noise with spectators firmly in his opponent’s corner.
Both players looked confident from the start, setting a high tempo with blistering offense as they both set off in pursuit of a valuable opening game.
Locked up at 8-8, Matsushima delivered a jaw-dropping forehand down the line to pull ahead, before an impeccable block from Qiu’s third ball attack set up another crushing finish from the 18-year-old. Converting the game 11-8, Matsushima’s name was the first on the scoreboard.
It was nip and tuck in the early exchanges of game two with the finalists taking it in turns to hammer the ball past the other. With Qiu getting down low to unleash a punishing shot straight past his opponent at 6-6, even Matsushima was impressed, offering the thumbs up.
Qiu would go on to hold Game Points at 8-10, before setting up another opportunity at 11-12, but he’d fail to contain Matsushima, who persevered under the cosh to close out another tight game 15-13.
Now firmly in the driving seat, Matsushima had all the momentum behind him heading into a pivotal third game. A devastating counter on the backhand at 8-7 prompted Qiu to turn to his coaching corner in frustration, but he’d somehow find a way back, saving Game Points at 10-9 and 11-10 to steal a most unlikely game, waving the crowd on as he looked to get the ball rolling.
Cheered on wildly from the stands, Qiu made a flying start to the fourth, pinning Matsushima back to take a healthy three-point lead before extending that advantage to 2-7.
Defiant until the end, Matsushima would work away at that deficit nicely, and with Qiu putting a glorious opportunity at 9-6 into the net, a time out was called.
The German really needed to convert to keep the dream alive, and he had his chances, holding four Game Points in the closing stages. But Matsushima’s sheer persistence paid off, letting out a huge roar as he whipped a rocket forehand at 17-16 to move one step closer to the title.
With the magical prospect of a home champion fading quickly, it was now or never for Qiu. The German penholder fought valiantly, threatening a comeback charge after opening up a 4-7 lead in the fifth, but it was ultimately not his day.
With Qiu sending the ball long off the table at 10-9, huge roars echoed from Matsushima and coach Masataka Morizono – another Japanese champion had been crowned in Frankfurt.
Denied at the final hurdle just last week at WTT Champions Montpellier 2025, it was redemption for Matsushima in Frankfurt.
“I didn’t expect to win this whole event, so I’m honestly just really happy. It was a really tight match, it could have gone either way. Dang is a really strong opponent, so I just kept to my game plan, and that led me to the victory today,” said Matsushima.
Meanwhile, Joao Geraldo struck his first international title as a pro player, taking a 11-5, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4 win over No.3 seed Alvaro Robles to get his hands on the men’s singles trophy at WTT Feeder Vila Nova de Gaia 2025.
The Portuguese player was put through his paces this week, particularly in the quarterfinals and semifinals, requiring the full match distance to see off stern opposition from Wim Verdonschot 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7 and Tom Jarvis 11-2, 12-14, 5-11, 11-2, 11-5 respectively.
A player who had never previously gone beyond the quarterfinals at a WTT event, Geraldo now stood on the cusp of a long-awaited international breakthrough, chasing that elusive singles title.
Facing off against an opponent he met for the first time back in 2012, the odds were stacked in Alvaro Robles’ favour, the Spaniard having won five of their seven encounters on the world stage. But the home ground advantage would tip the scales in Geraldo’s direction, the World No.101 showing great resolve to bring home the title.
13 years Geraldo’s junior, there was also a milestone victory for Misuzu Takeya, with the 17-year-old besting Natalia Bajor 3-0 in the women’s singles Final 11-9, 12-10, 11-7.
Takeya, who is still actively competing on the WTT Youth Series, lit up Pavilhao Municipal de Vila Nova de Gaia with a stunning run, displaying maturity well beyond her years to announce herself to the world in style.
