[What Does London Say?] [Turmoil] Europe’s women’s teams were appealing for their “diversity.” Applause for the “phoenix” Germany’s success! Vol. 3

Winter’s jumping ability was so extraordinary that Wang Yuen next to her looked as if her shoulder might come out of place

　The German women’s team was probably the one that showed its emotions most openly and enjoyed the tournament the most at the London event.

　Han Ying, the “iron woman chopper,” returned to the court after tearing both Achilles tendons, and Winter, who switched to a back anti-spin rubber and made the world’s top 10 at the age of 34. These two veteran players, like phoenixes, are joined by Mittelmham, a hard hitter, Kaufmann, a sharp-eyed left-handed “sniper,” and Wang Yuen, a forehand pimple player who drew attention as a beautiful player at the Paris Olympics.

　With ages and styles all different, this is a highly individualistic team that embodies “diversity” in a way the old World Table Tennis scene never did, yet its teamwork is outstanding. Two players are of Chinese descent, but Han Ying was born in China, while Wang Yuen is a second-generation player who grew up in Germany.

　Winter was one of the players I was watching closely in this tournament, and what stood out most was her superb leg strength. When Germany beat Hong Kong in the Quarter-final and all the players held hands and jumped for joy, Winter’s jumping power was so incredible that Wang Yuen beside her looked as if her shoulder might come out of place.

It is precisely because she has the leg strength and Footwork to move all over the entire table that the anti-spin rubber on her backhand side works to such great effect. Seeing her, it does not seem wise to switch to Anti-spin rubber simply because “I’m not good at backhand.”

　Although this tournament saw them finish in the top eight, Germany’s rival France is also a team built on diversity, with Pavade, whose parents have roots in India, and Yuan Jianan, originally from Henan Province, China, as key players. The Lutz sisters, Camille and Charlotte, come from the small town of Ohlungen in Alsace, a region near the German border.

By the way, in terms of diversity, London itself, the host city, is a treasure trove of ethnic backgrounds. Walking through the city, one could see white people, Black people, people of Indian descent, Asians, Muslims—every imaginable background was on the streets.

Are the British gentlemen who appear in the world of Sherlock Holmes now as rare as Japan’s “samurai”? The only one I felt carried the dignity of the classic British gentleman was the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, the younger brother of King Charles III, when he visited the venue with his upright, elegant bearing.