Interview with Sayaka Hirano

“Samurai – I like it!”

Can you remember when you played table tennis for the first time?

Very well, even though I was only five years old at the time. My mother played table tennis and I often went with her to the training, and played with the ball and wanted to play table tennis at once. In Japan you normally get to table tennis through school but I played for a club already before I started at school.

How did your career in the national team develop?

I was Japanese Junior Champion and played for the first time for Japan in Osaka in 2001. It wasn’t easy at the beginning, because I was only present. Today I have the responsibility in the team and I must win. But I enjoy every game and am proud to represent Japan.

What is the position of a Japanese woman in comparison to the men in table tennis? The enthusiasm of the spectators – for example in Moscow – is equally great as with the men.

I think it is a bit different with us in comparison to other countries. In Japan the women were first life on TV and then the men’s table tennis followed bit by bit. The women were first…(laughs).

How would you characterize yourself as a player? You seem to look into the eyes of your opponent permanently before your serve. Following the motto: I will win. Like a Samurai.

(Laughs) Yes my facial expression is probably a bit like a devil. But I like “female Samurai” even if it doesn’t exist, of course.

Did you ever regret to play table tennis? A lot of training, little spear time. Other women can go shopping, dance or go to the cinema…

I can’t live without table tennis and don’t have time to think about things like dancing, karaoke or going out for meals. Naturally I can do things like that in my little spear time but only if I have practiced well. Up to now I have never regretted that. Every now and again I need a little break but then I must go back to the table.

What would you have done if you had not become a table tennis star? A different sport or a job?

I can’t answer that easily. If I had a new life again, I would probably have a “normal” life with school, job and children. But I will have a “second life” anyway, when I stop playing table tennis. I intend to study psychology.

Let’s go back to the World Championships two months ago. Are you personally satisfied with the result?

Yes, definitely. We showed good matches, were not completely without a chance against China in the semi-final, defended our bronze medal from 2008 in the end and can be satisfied with that. But next time we want to reach the final!

You played the most exciting matches during the tournament. You had a very close victory against Chinese Taipei, where you won the deciding match and the tears of your team mates were running freely. What were your feelings?

That was a tremendous relief, of course, but I was also angry because I should have won much easier and it was so close in the end. But the main thing was that we won in the end.

Are you only concentrating on your team at a big tournament like that or are you also watching the men on the table next to you?

Naturally we are also interested in our male colleagues. That was especially the case in Moscow, when we played against Chinese Taipei and the men played right next to us against Germany. As I also like to look at the German team and you are obviously watching it a bit as well.

What are your targets for the next months?

We want to be successful with the team at the Asian Games in November. My personal target is definitely a success at the Olympics in 2012. Therefore I want to play many Pro-Tour tournaments to improve more.

If you had one wish, what would that be? It doesn’t matter in sports or private?

(Laughs) I would like that to be two wishes… At first I would like to go on holidays with my family, because we don’t have enough time for that and secondly I would like to have a nice boyfriend….

Date of Birth:               24th of March 1985
World Ranking List:     13 (07/2010)
Material: forehand:    SpinArt, backhand: Tenergy-64, blade: Innerforce-ZLF