Miyoshi Powers Into Dual Semifinals on Home Turf
| August 29, 2025
Kenta Miyoshi is making the most of his home court advantage at the Sansan Fukuoka Open 2025. The Japanese star defeated teenage sensation Tama Shimabukuro 2-1 (4-11, 11-4, 11-5) on Friday, bouncing back from a first-game blitz to secure his spot in the Men’s Singles semifinals.
The victory sets up a blockbuster clash with top seed Connor Garnett, who has been untouchable through two days of competition. Miyoshi brings valuable experience against elite PPA Tour professionals, having faced Ben Johns earlier this year at the Texas Open. Now he gets another shot at American firepower, this time with the home crowd behind him.
Miyoshi’s day got even better when he and partner Robert Stirling punched their ticket to the Men’s Doubles final with a 2-0 (11-5, 11-9) victory over Andrew Pham and Lim Guang Sian. The Japanese-Australian partnership faces Aryaan Bhatia and Prycen Haas in Saturday’s final, with Stirling fresh off his Hong Kong Open Mixed Doubles triumph alongside Miyoshi’s wife, Aiko Yoshitomi.
While Miyoshi fights on multiple fronts, Garnett continues his flawless run through Fukuoka. The American top seed hasn’t dropped a single game en route to the semifinals in all three events. His perfect record faces its toughest test yet against Miyoshi in singles, while Mixed Doubles partner Allyce Jones and Men’s Doubles partner Tyler Loong help his triple crown pursuit.
Friday also delivered high drama in the women’s draw. Wei Ting Chieh produced the comeback of the tournament, saving two match points while trailing 4-10 against Huang Hsiang Wen before completing a 2-1 (11-2, 7-11, 12-10) escape. Like Garnett, Wei remains alive for a triple crown with semifinal spots secured across all three events.
Top seed Long Yufei survived her own marathon, needing over an hour to overcome Australia’s Danni-Elle Townsend 2-1 (7-11, 11-4, 11-8). Long faces PPA Tour Asia debutant Sahra Dennehy in the semifinals – the Australian who qualified at The Masters in January and faced Anna Leigh Waters in the round of 32.
Hong Kong Open champion Wong Hong Kit keeps his back-to-back title hopes alive, but must overcome Vietnam’s Phuc Huynh in the semifinals. Huynh started 2025 strongly with a fourth-place finish at the PPA Tour Australian Open.
With local heroes on the court and triple crowns on the line, be sure to tune in and catch all the Saturday pickleball action.
