PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Yushi Tanaka was the standout player in Japan’s brilliant Asia Team Championships triumph.
Japan captured the men’s team title for the first time after beating China 3-0 at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium on Sunday.
In the final, the world No. 19 Tanaka was given the responsibility to play in the first singles instead of world No. 13 Kenta Nishimoto and Kodai Naraoka (No. 9), who was not selected for the team meet.
Tanaka repaid his coaches’ faith by winning all his matches in the competition.
The 26-year-old beat India’s H. S. Prannoy, Malaysia’s Justin Hoh and Indonesia’s Prahdiska Bagas en route to the final.
In the title match, Tanaka continued his superb form by coming out on top over China’s 2024 world junior champion Hu Zhean 21-10, 21-18.
Buoyed by their teammates’ victory, Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi fought brilliantly to beat He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu 21-17, 14-21, 21-15 in the first doubles in 66 minutes.
Koki Watanabe then sealed the win for Japan by coming from behind to overcome Zhu Xuanchen 22-24, 21-17, 21-18 in an exhausting match lasting 87 minutes.
For Tanaka, his best achievement in individual tournaments to date is capturing the World Tour Super 300 Orleans Masters and US Open in 2024.
The Japanese, who hails from Kumamoto, also finished runners-up to India’s Lakshya Sen in the Super 500 Australian Open last year.
Tanaka also caught the eye when he toppled Indonesia’s world No. 4 Jonatan Christie and China’s world No. 5 Li Shifeng last year.
With Naraoka, Nishimoto and also world No. 23 Watanabe more than capable of delivering points, Japan are set to be a dangerous prospect in the Thomas Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark.
In the doubles, the team can rely on 2021 world champions and world No. 9 Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi along with rising pairs Hiroki Midorikawa-Kyohei Yamashita (No. 19) and Kumagai-Nishi (No. 31).
Japan memorably lifted the Thomas Cup in 2014 in New Delhi and will be looking to repeat the feat this time after the breakthrough in the Asia team meet.
Final
Men’s team: Japan bt China 3-0 (Yushi Tanaka bt Hu Zhean 21-10, 21-18; Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi bt He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu 21-17, 14-21, 21-15; Koki Watanabe bt Zhu Xuanchen 22-24, 21-17, 21-18).
