Women's Singles bronze medalist Hina Hayata regrets those two points from the Semi-final. Sun Yingsha, who has won all 20 matches, says, "The battles in each Game were extremely intense"

[2026 Asian Games]Exclusive Report

"I feel like I’ve finally been able to stand on the stage of real 'match tactics'" (Hayata)

Hayata had lost confidence and suffered such deep emotional wounds that it took her a long time to bounce back.
　Four months after that painful defeat, with those wounds healed, Hayata challenged Sun Yingsha in the Women's Singles Semi-final at the Asian Games in a rematch. Although she lost again, she showed play that was more rewarding than the Score suggests.
　Hayata herself said, "I feel like I’ve finally been able to stand on the stage of real 'match tactics'."
　One reason she was able to take the match to a tactical battle against such an impenetrable opponent was her serve variations.
　From the opening, she kept changing the serve placement in fine detail, firing off hook, topspin, backspin, knuckle ball (no spin), and backhand service one after another, and in the latter stages she also used the high toss service.

　Hayata is well known for her Rallying ability, but the story changes when the Opponent is Sun Yingsha.
　In particular, once a rally developed on Hayata's forehand topspin, which she says is "not just powerful, but surprising in its subtle variations," she was helpless. So her strategy was to seize the initiative first, and Hayata reflected, "I think my choices of serves were consistently good."
　However, there were two points she regrets conceding.
　They came in Game 4, when the Game Score stood at 1-2.