amicitaacademy.com – Tomoka Miyazaki, born on August 17, 2006, in Osaka, Japan, is a rising star in international badminton, specializing in women’s singles. Standing at 1.64 meters and weighing 49 kilograms, she has quickly ascended the global rankings, achieving a career-high of World No. 11 on November 26, 2024.
Career Highlights:
- 2022: Miyazaki clinched the girls’ singles title at the World Junior Championships in Santander, Spain, becoming the fourth Japanese player to secure this honor, following in the footsteps of Nozomi Okuhara, Akane Yamaguchi, and Riko Gunji.
- 2023: She secured her first senior international title at the Indonesia Masters II by defeating Thai player Pornpicha Choeikeewong in the final. Later that year, she reached the final of the Korea Masters, finishing as runner-up to Korea’s Kim Ga-eun.
- 2024: Miyazaki’s upward trajectory continued with a victory at the Orléans Masters in March, where she triumphed over fellow Japanese player Hina Akechi. At the Swiss Open, she notably defeated 2019 World Champion P. V. Sindhu in the second round before falling to Olympic gold medalist Carolina Marin in the semi-finals. In September, she reached her first Super 1000 final at the China Open, finishing as runner-up to Wang Zhiyi.
Recent Developments:
In December 2024, Miyazaki was awarded a grant from the Kozuki Foundation’s Athlete Support Program, which provides financial assistance to promising young athletes. High school and university students in the program receive 1.2 million yen annually. The award ceremony took place in Tokyo on December 18, 2024.
Playing Style and Prospects:
Miyazaki is known for her agility, strategic play, and resilience on the court. Her rapid rise through the ranks and victories against top-tier opponents have marked her as one of Japan’s most promising badminton talents. As of December 17, 2024, she holds a world ranking of No. 12 in women’s singles.
With her current trajectory, Tomoka Miyazaki is poised to make significant impacts on the international badminton scene in the coming years.
