Harimoto Tomokazu Goes on a Rampage! Dominates His Asian Championships Debut with a 3-0 “Revenge” Victory to Give Japan an Early Lead

On the evening of October 12 (Beijing time), a thrilling showdown lit up the Asian Table Tennis Championships as Japan and South Korea — two of China’s fiercest rivals — clashed in the men’s team quarterfinals. Leading the charge for Japan, Tomokazu Harimoto faced Korean ace An Jaehyun, who had defeated him not long ago. This time, however, Harimoto was unstoppable, sweeping his opponent 3-0 to secure Japan’s first crucial point.

Match Highlights

Born in 2003, Harimoto currently ranks No. 4 in the world and is regarded as one of Team China’s top international challengers. Known for his explosive power and fearless spirit, he has defeated world champions such as Zhang Jike, Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Liang Jingkun, and Lin Gaoyuan. However, his biggest weakness has often been inconsistency — capable of stunning wins but also surprising losses.

His opponent, An Jaehyun, born in 1999 and ranked 13th globally, is no stranger to high-level success. He captured a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, where he memorably left a young Harimoto in tears after a dramatic victory. Historically, An has dominated their rivalry, leading 6-3 in head-to-head encounters, including a tight 3-2 win at the WTT Swedish Grand Smash in August. Heading into this rematch, expectations were high for another tense battle.

Match Recap

The opening game started with Harimoto on the attack, only to drop the first two points after being countered. Quickly regaining composure, he turned up the aggression and surged ahead 5-2. An tried to respond but appeared slightly sluggish, possibly still affected by past injuries. Seizing the opportunity, Harimoto targeted both flanks with sharp, alternating attacks and soon built a commanding 10-5 lead.

Just as victory seemed within reach, Harimoto faltered, dropping four consecutive points before wisely calling a timeout to reset. Returning to the table, he delivered a rare reverse-spin serve that caught An off guard, sealing the game 11-9 in dramatic fashion.

In the second game, Harimoto once again used the tricky reverse-spin serve, but this time An was prepared and countered effectively. The Korean briefly held the upper hand, leading 8-5, yet failed to maintain momentum. Harimoto capitalized on An’s hesitation and gradually clawed back, tying at 8-8 before snatching two lucky edge points to move ahead 9-8.

The rallies grew increasingly intense, with both players trading game points in a breathtaking duel. Ultimately, Harimoto’s precision forehand topspin and clever short placements broke through An’s defenses, earning him a narrow 13-11 win and a commanding 2-0 lead.

With no room left for error, An entered the third game fighting for survival. He started strong, keeping the score tight at 4-4, but another service error at 5-5 proved costly. Harimoto quickly pounced, attacking both corners to stretch the lead to 7-5 and never looked back. With relentless speed and control, he closed out the game 11-7 — and the match 3-0 — giving Japan a flying start in the men’s team quarterfinals.

Harimoto’s emphatic revenge not only showcased his growing maturity and mental toughness but also sent a powerful message to his Asian rivals: the Japanese prodigy is back in top form, ready to challenge for continental glory.