Photo/Illutration Yuzuru Hanyu performs his free program at the NHK Trophy event held in Sapporo in November. (Kengo Hiyoshi)

TURIN, Italy--Yuzuru Hanyu will be looking to turn the tables on Nathan Chen when the two figure skaters compete in the Grand Prix Final that starts here Dec. 5.

In 2018, Hanyu became the second male figure skater in 66 years to win consecutive Olympic gold medals. Chen of the United States bested Japan's ace at this year's world championships for his second straight world title.

The defeat was especially painful for Hanyu because the event was held in Japan.

The Grand Prix Final will be the first time for Hanyu and Chen to compete in the same event since the world championships held in Saitama in March.

Hanyu became one of six male figure skaters to qualify for the final when he won the NHK Trophy in Sapporo in November with an overwhelming score.

"I consider the final to be nothing but a battle with Nathan, so I really want to win," Hanyu said. "I truly believe there is only meaning in winning."

When Hanyu finished second in the world championships this year, he was more than 22 points behind Chen.

After the event, Hanyu said, "Even if I performed the short and free programs without a mistake, I feel I still would have fallen slightly short (of Chen)."

Both Hanyu and Chen won the two Grand Prix events they entered this season. Hanyu has landed his quad lutz and quad salchow jumps with consistency and registered a personal best total of 322.59 points at the Skate Canada event, making him the sole male figure skater to record a total score in excess of 300 points this season.

Chen just missed that benchmark by a whisker, recording 299.09 points to win the Skate America event.

One reason for the lower score is that Chen curtailed the most exacting parts of his program from his world championship performance and included consecutive jumps only in the first part. He also had points deducted for jumping errors.

With regard to their respective Grand Prix performances, Hanyu acknowledged that he had a higher score, but said he was not satisfied with his own performances in the two Grand Prix events he won.

"I did manage to maintain confidence because I won," Hanyu said. "I also realize that Nathan will put in a much higher performance."

For his part, Chen said that while he wanted to win every event he enters, he never enters them with the sole purpose of defeating a particular rival. He said his only concern was to give the best performance possible.

Hanyu might include a more difficult jump, such as a quad lutz, to his Grand Prix Final program to come out on top over Chen.

"My strongest feeling right now is to win," Hanyu said. "I feel that results are very important."

This will be Hanyu's first Grand Prix Final in three years. He has won the event four times in the past and will seek to become the first male figure skater to win the event five times.