Sora Masushima, born on 29th April 2007, Japan is currently one of the best players to watch. You can see this 16 year old is relaxed and happy while playing table tennis. He is able to hit any serve with a devastating backhand and has an equally strong forehand.
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Japan, Home of talented Takkyu players has produced another prodigy Sora Matsushima. Born on 29th April 2007 in Kyoto, Japan, currently he is already taking part in WTT events and even won a WTT doubles title at the age of 16! This kid is special and so his family. His parents Takashi and Yumiko Matsushima were mixed doubles semi-finalists at the All Japan National Championships in 2001. He is the oldest brother of the family who has turned pro. Scroll down to read about his family. Professionally, he is playing in Nojima T league with Japan Kinoshita Meister, Tokyo.You may have seem below Matsushima family’s video by super talented Adam Bobrow -
As of August 2023, Sora is using Butterfly Harimoto Tomokazu Innerforce ALC with Butterfly Dignics 05 of Forehand and Dignics 09c on Backhand. Sora is a Butterfly sponsored athlete and there is a possibility that he might get a blade on his name.
The talented young Sora has been amazing in tournaments, below are his achievements which are updated till August, 2023.
Games | Type | Result | Year |
---|---|---|---|
WTT Contender Rio de Janeiro | Single | Runner Up | 2023 |
WTT Contender Lima | Doubles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Panagyurishte (U17) | Singles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Panagyurishte (U19) | Singles | Runner Up | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Wladyslawowo (U19) | Singles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Berlin (U17) | Singles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Berlin (U19) | Singles | Runner Up | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Helsingborg (U17) | Singles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Helsingborg (U19) | Singles | Winner | 2023 |
WTT Youth Contender Platja D’Aro (U17) | Singles | Winner | 2022 |
WTT Youth Contender Berlin (U17) | Singles | Winner | 2022 |
WTT Youth Contender Berlin (U19) | Singles | Runner Up | 2022 |
WTT Youth Contender Linz (U15) | Singles | Winner | 2022 |
All Japan Championships | Singles | Runner Up | 2020 |
East Asian Hopes Championships | Singles | Winner | 2019 |
All Japan Championships (U13) | Singles | Winner | 2018 |
All Japan Championships (U12) | Singles | Winner | 2018 |
In 2018, Iam Marshal, ITTF Publications Manager wrote an interesting article by Sora Matsushima, In the Blood. Here is an excerpt from the same article -
Simply table tennis is in the blood; parents Takashi and Yumiko were Mixed Doubles semi-finalists at the All Japan National Championships in 2001; at the time they were university students.
However, more pertinently, he is the grand-nephew of Tokio Tasaka, the owner of no less than six World Championships medals.
In Munich in 1969 he was the Men’s Doubles runner up in partnership with the late Nobuhiko Hazegawa and Men’s Singles semi-finalist. Later in 1971 in Nagoya he was member of the silver medal winning team as well as Men’s Doubles bronze medallist again with Nobuhiko Hazegawa.
Later in Sarajevo in 1973, he was once more a member of the Men’s Team that secured bronze, whilst in 1977 in Birmingham, he was the Mixed Doubles runner up; his partner in the English city was Sachiko Yokota. She is the Tournament Director at the current Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Lion Japan Open.
This was one tournament where Sora defeated top level players back to back. Do you want to know who all he won against? Well in the qualifiers, he defeated players like João Monteiro.
Congratulation Sora on an amazing jounery till now. The world will definitely be watching this young genius.
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