On the opening day of the 2025 Asian Cup, China's 19-year-old rising star Huang Youzheng pulled off a stunning upset by defeating Japan's famous player Tomokazu Harimoto 3-1 during the group stage. All eight Chinese players competing in the first round secured victories.
The match began with intense rallies as both players showcased their skills, trading points in a tightly contested first game. Harimoto managed to save a game point to level the score at 11-11, but Huang held his ground and eventually clinched the first game 14-12 after consecutive game points at 12-11 and 13-12.
In the second game, Huang's exceptional serves disrupted Harimoto's rhythm, leaving the Japanese star struggling with unforced errors during the return phase. Huang capitalized on this advantage to dominate the game, winning 11-6 and extending his lead to 2-0.
Harimoto staged a strong comeback in the third game, taking control early and cruising to an 11-3 victory to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
In the fourth game, Harimoto built a 6-3 lead, but Huang maintained pressure and leveled the score at 6-6. In a nail-biting finish, Huang edged out Harimoto 12-10 to seal the match and secure a sensational 3-1 victory.
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