Yoshimura Maharu/Satsuki Oto upset and advanced to the top 4 of the mixed doubles at the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships, and Japan's first medal was in hand

In a mixed doubles top 8 match at the 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships on the 20th local time, the Japanese combination Yoshimura Maharu / Satsuki Oto defeated the mixed doubles world No. 1 Chinese pair Lin Shidong / Kuo Man with a total number of 3-1 and advanced to the top 4 stage. This also made the 31-year-old Yoshimura Maharu exclaim, "I didn't expect to win a medal over the age of 30." ”

Japanese mixed doubles Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Oto made it to the top 4

Although Yoshimura Maharu/Satsuki Oto lost the first game 8-11, they then won 11-5, 13-11, 12-10 in a row to advance to the semifinals of mixed doubles, at least guaranteed the bronze medal, and the two became the first group of players in the Japanese delegation to win medals.

Yoshimura Maharu/Satsuki Oto, who are currently ranked 21st in the world mixed doubles, staged a big upset victory on the same day to advance to the semi-finals, Yoshimura Maharu lay on the ground and let out a happy cry after winning, and hugged and celebrated with 21-year-old Satsuki Oto, and the two also cried with emotion.

Japanese media "Daily" reported after the game that Yoshimura Maharu said frankly, "I was full of disbelief, I didn't expect to win another medal." Yoshimura partnered with retired Japanese star Kasumi Ishikawa in 2017 to win the mixed doubles gold medal at the World Table Tennis Championships that year. In addition, Yoshimura also won silver in the mixed doubles at the 2015 and 2019 World Championships.

Maharu Yoshimura said, "I'm really happy to win a medal with my new partner. I didn't expect to win a medal after the age of 30. ”
Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Oto will meet third seeds Wong Chun-ting/To Hoi-king of Hong Kong in the Mixed Doubles quarter-finals.