WTT Champions Event: World No. 6 in Men’s Singles Eliminated—Falls 2–4 to Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, Misses Out on the Title

On January 11 (Beijing time), the WTT Champions Doha event continued to deliver high-level drama as the tournament approached its final stage. With the final four now confirmed, the women’s singles bracket has produced an all–China semifinal: Chen Xingtong will face Kuai Man, ensuring Team China has already secured a place in the final. In the other women’s semifinal, defensive chopper Han Ying will take on world champion Zhu Yuling—a compelling duel between two experienced players dealing with injury setbacks. Han Ying is now 42, while Zhu, 31, has also battled physical challenges on her road back.

In the men’s singles quarterfinals, Japan’s star Tomokazu Harimoto went head-to-head with France’s rising force Félix Lebrun. Both are standout representatives of the new generation, and the matchup lived up to expectations. Harimoto entered the contest ranked world No. 4, while Lebrun—ranked world No. 6 and an Olympic men’s singles bronze medalist—opened with real intent.

Lebrun struck first, taking the opening game 11–5 for a strong start. Harimoto responded immediately, raising his pace and tightening control to claim the next two games 11–4 and 11–5, turning the match in his favor and moving ahead overall.

Lebrun refused to fade, leveling the contest by winning the fourth game 11–4. But from there, Harimoto shifted into a higher gear. With his aggression and consistency peaking at the right moment, he edged two critical games 11–9, 11–9, sealing a 4–2 victory and booking his spot in the semifinals.

As a result, the world No. 6 Lebrun was eliminated, falling 2–4 to Harimoto and missing the chance to push for the title. Speaking after the match, Harimoto emphasized that every game was difficult, noting there was not a single set he could win comfortably. He added that whether ahead or behind, he stayed focused on the idea that the final point is what truly decides everything, choosing not to overthink gains or losses along the way.

Harimoto’s mindset looks sharp, and there is also a notable storyline behind this win: at last year’s season-ending finals, Harimoto defeated Lebrun on the way to the championship. Harimoto admitted that beating such a powerful opponent twice is far from easy—and he was clearly pleased with the result. Looking ahead to the semifinals, he stressed that the next opponent will be just as dangerous, and said he will treat this victory seriously while preparing with full commitment and a clear goal: to win the Doha title.

In the other men’s quarterfinal battle for a semifinal berth, Chinese Taipei’s ace Lin Yun-Ju produced a commanding performance, sweeping Japan’s Teruhiro Matsushima in straight games for a 4–0 win. Lin has looked in excellent form this week, and in the previous round he also recorded a clean sweep—shutting out world champion Ovtcharov without dropping a game.

With that, the men’s singles semifinal matchups are set: Lin Yun-Ju vs. Tomokazu Harimoto, and Lin Shidong vs. South Korean veteran Jang Woo-jin.

After his win, Lin Yun-Ju told media that he felt proactive from the start—especially in the serve and receive phase. He said he was willing to take risks and attack decisively, and that approach worked well for him. Turning his attention to Harimoto, Lin acknowledged the Japanese star is an exceptionally tough opponent and “not easy to play against,” but he hopes to give everything and fight hard in the next round.

Lin Yun-Ju and Harimoto have shared a long rivalry and know each other’s games extremely well. Recently, Lin has suffered two straight losses to Harimoto—making their upcoming semifinal another highly anticipated chapter in a matchup that never lacks intensity.