Epic mixed doubles final goes the distance in Doha

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January 11, 2025
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11-January-2025

Epic mixed doubles final goes the distance in Doha

Doha: Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima have been crowned Mixed Doubles champions at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025, laying claim to their first trophy of the season with a 3-2 victory over Shi Xunyao and Huang Youzheng (6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7).

Both sets of finalists started the week in the qualifying rounds, but stood out from the rest of the playing field, working their way through the draw at breakneck speed.
Starting the final on the front foot, Shi and Huang looked in sync in the early stages of Saturday’s title match, leaning on each other’s strengths to pick up two of the opening three games.

However, Harimoto and Matsushima stuck together in the face of adversity, bouncing back in the fourth to keep the dream alive. Then, in an all or nothing decider, the Japanese pair hit the jackpot, striking the ball with real venom to leave Shi and Huang in their dust.

As the sun begins to set in Doha, Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima return home with silverware in their grasp, and will move into the Mixed Doubles World Top 20 in Week 3’s ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings thanks to their showing at Lusail Sports Arena.