Although the annual finals in Nagoya, Japan have come to an end, the discussion about this annual feast has not stopped. In particular, Sun Yingsha almost got into trouble in the contest against Japanese rising star Miwa Zhangmoto, which caused more heated discussions.
In the match with Zhang Benmeihe, Sun Yingsha fell into a disadvantageous start and lost a game first, and then, Zhang Benmeihe even pulled the score lead to 2:1, forcing Sun Yingsha to the brink of elimination. Fortunately, Sun Yingsha showed the calmness and resilience of top players at critical moments, and even reversed a game 7:0 when she fell behind 4:8, and finally defeated Zhang Benmeihe 3:2 and successfully advanced.
Although Sun Yingsha eventually won the match, her sluggish form caused fans to be curious. In the past games, Sun Yingsha has usually been able to get into the groove quickly. Digging deeper, there may be a reasonable explanation, which may be related to a strategy adopted by the Japan Table Tennis Association.
During the winter months, the temperature drops significantly, and table tennis players usually take off their jackets and trousers at the back of the court. This makes the athletes feel cold, so the organizers usually have two heaters to keep the athletes warm. However, what caused controversy was that the Japan Table Tennis Association only set up one heater. Zhang Benmeihe has been occupying this heater, while Sun Yingsha, who does not have a heater on the other side, can only keep jumping to keep warm, and even tie her shoelaces tightly when she is tired to artificially warm herself.
This kind of temperature difference tactic may explain the reason for Sun Yingsha's poor opening form. At the beginning of the game, Zhang Benmeihe had already warmed up through the heater, while Sun Yingsha was stiff due to the cold weather. However, in the face of absolute strength, no conspiracy can be effective. Despite the unfavorable start, Sun Yingsha successfully adjusted with her excellent strength and finally counterattacked to win the championship.
It is worth mentioning that although Zhang Benmeihe always affectionately called Sun Yingsha "sister" in the pre-game interview, in the back of the game, Zhang Benmeihe did not invite Sun Yingsha to warm up, and even showed a trace of disgust. The upset plan she originally conceived was eventually counterattacked by Sun Yingsha, which may be the reason why Zhang Benmei and cried after losing.