Miyuu Kihara (木原 美悠, Kihara Miyū, born 3 August 2004) is a Japanese table tennis player.[2]

Miyuu Kihara
Born (2004-08-03) 3 August 2004 (age 20)
Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan[1]
Height164 cm (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Table tennis career
Playing styleRight-handed shakehand grip
Highest ranking13 (26 July 2022)[3]
Current ranking27 (8 October 2024)[4]
ClubKinoshita Abyell Kanagawa (T.League)[2]
Medal record
Women's table tennis
Representing  Japan
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Chengdu Team
Silver medal – second place 2024 Busan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Durban Doubles
World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Chengdu Mixed team
WTT Cup Finals
Silver medal – second place 2023 Nagoya Doubles
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Hangzhou Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Hangzhou Doubles
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Astana Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pyeongchang Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pyeongchang Team

Career highlights

edit

In 2019, Kihara upset world No. 9 Miu Hirano and became the youngest finalist in singles at the All Japan National Championships.[5][6] In May, at the age of 14 years and 278 days, Kihara won both the women's singles and doubles (with Miyu Nagasaki) at the Croatia Open. She was the youngest ever to win an international open tournament since the ITTF World Tour began in 1996.[7] Kihara and Nagasaki continued to capture doubles titles, including the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in December.[8]

Kihara advanced to the semifinals at WTT inaugural event, the WTT Contender Doha 2021, before losing to Hina Hayata.[9] In 2022, Kihara won the singles title at WTT Star Contender Doha by defeating Han Ying in the final.[10] She became a member of the Japanese women's team, winning silver at the 2022 World Team Championships. She also claimed the U-19 singles title at the ITTF World Youth Championships.[11]

Finals

edit

Women's singles

edit
Result Year Tournament Opponent Score Ref
Winner 2019 ITTF Challenge, Croatia Open   Miyu Kato 4–3 [7]
Winner 2022 WTT Star Contender Doha   Han Ying 4–3 [10]

Women's doubles

edit
Result Year Tournament Partner Opponents Score Ref
Runner-up 2018 ITTF Challenge, Slovenia Open Miyu Nagasaki   Ng Wing Nam / Minnie Soo 1–3 [12]
Winner 2019 ITTF Challenge, Slovenia Open   Satsuki Odo / Saki Shibata 3–0 [13]
Winner 2019 ITTF Challenge, Croatia Open   Honoka Hashimoto / Hitomi Sato 3–2 [14]
Runner-up 2019 ITTF World Tour, German Open   Jeon Ji-hee / Yang Ha-eun 1–3 [15]
Winner 2019 ITTF World Tour, Austrian Open   Chen Szu-yu / Cheng Hsien-tzu 3–2 [16]
Winner 2019 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals   Jeon Ji-hee / Yang Ha-eun 3–0 [8]
Winner 2022 WTT Contender Doha   Chen Szu-yu / Huang Yi-hua 3–0 [17]
Winner 2022 WTT Star Contender Doha   Li Yu-jhun / Cheng I-ching 3–0 [18]
Runner-up 2023 WTT Contender Tunis Miwa Harimoto   Sutirtha Mukherjee / Ayhika Mukherjee 1–3 [19]
Runner-up 2023 WTT Finals Miyu Nagasaki   Wang Manyu / Sun Yingsha 1–3 [20]
Winner 2024 WTT Star Contender Ljubljana   Jeon Ji-hee / Joo Cheon-hui 3–1 [21]

References

edit
  1. ^ "木原美悠 選手・長﨑美柚 選手 2020-2021シーズン 参戦決定!". tleague.jp (in Japanese). 7 August 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "木原 美悠". T.League (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  3. ^ "ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking Women's Singles 2022 Week #30". ittf.com. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  4. ^ "ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking". ittf.com. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ^ "平野美宇が14歳木原に敗退 「焦っていた」 卓球". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 18 January 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ "14歳の木原、史上最年少で決勝進出 全日本卓球選手権". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 20 January 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b Marshall, Ian (18 May 2019). "Zagreb highlights: Miyuu Kihara, youngest ever". ITTF. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Teen duo Miyu Kihara, Miyu Nagasaki capture table tennis Grand Finals title". Kyodo News. 15 December 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  9. ^ "WTT Contender Doha 2021". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b "WTT Star Contender Doha 2022". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  11. ^ "China dominate ITTF World Youth Championships in Tunis". insidethegames.biz. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  12. ^ Marshall, Ian (7 April 2018). "Review Final Day: first time winners". ITTF. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge, Slovenia Open Results (12 May)". ITTF. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  14. ^ "Final Day: Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Croatia Open". ITTF. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Day Three: 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open". ITTF. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  16. ^ Long Po-an; Chiang Yi-ching (17 November 2019). "Taiwan duo lose in women's doubles final at Austrian Table Tennis Open". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  17. ^ "WTT Contender Doha 2022". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  18. ^ "WTT Star Contender Doha 2022". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  19. ^ "WTT Contender Tunis 2023". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  20. ^ "WTT Finals Women Nagoya 2023". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  21. ^ "WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2024". worldtabletennis.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.