Miyuu Kihara
Born (2004-08-03) 3 August 2004 (age 19)
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 ranking25 (26 September 2023)[4]
ClubKinoshita Abyell Kanagawa (T.League)[2]
Medal record
Women's table tennis
Representing  Japan
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Chengdu Team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Durban Doubles
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
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pyeongchang Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pyeongchang Team

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

Career highlights

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

Women's singles

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

Women's doubles

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

References

  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.
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