Hitomi Sato is a Japanese modern defender and one of the most successful female choppers of her generation.  Born in 1997 in Hakodate, she plays right‑handed with shakehand grip and has built her career around a rare combination of classical defence and sharp counterattacks.

Her playing style is defined by two‑sided defence: mid-long pips or highly disruptive pips on the backhand for heavy chops, combined with a very stable forehand that can both chop and counter‑loop, allowing her to extend rallies and then suddenly switch to attack.Together with partner Honoka Hashimoto she has won numerous international women’s doubles titles and took a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, making the “Sato–Hashimoto” pair one of the iconic defensive duos in world table tennis.

In recent years Sato has experienced a strong resurgence on the WTT circuit, collecting multiple Feeder and Contender titles and re‑establishing herself in the world’s top 30.  She continues to represent Japan in major events, including World Championships and WTT Finals, and remains a key reference for players who are interested in high‑level defence with pips and intelligent, patient tactics.