Saki Kanazawa staged a stirring fightback to overcome popular teenager Ai Fukuhara in the women's final at the Japan Top 12 table tennis tournament on Saturday.
Fukuhara looked to be on course for victory after taking a 3-0 lead but Chinese-born national champion Kanazawa came roaring back at Yoyogi national gymnasium annex to claim her first Top 12 title with a 10-12, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 win.
Kaii Yoshida successfully defended his title when he crushed veteran Koji Matsushita in a rematch of the national championship men's final, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-4.
All four finalists have been named to the Japan squad for this year's world team championships in Germany in April.