Kim Nayeong: the young South Korean who shines in doubles
Kim Nayeong is a South Korean table tennis player born in 2005, a right-handed shakehand player. She won women's doubles and mixed doubles at WTT Contender Taiyuan in 2025. Her career-high singles ranking is No. 25, in February 2026, and in October 2026 she is world No. 6 in women's doubles.
In this article
Kim Nayeong is one of the most promising young players in South Korean table tennis. She won WTT doubles titles in 2025 and in 2026 is already troubling the best in the world in singles. This page covers Kim Nayeong's career, titles and playing style.
Who is Kim Nayeong
Kim Nayeong was born on 1 October 2005 in South Korea (her hometown does not appear in the sources we read). According to a Korean-language profile she is right-handed, plays the shakehand grip and is 1.71 m tall. Her father is a table tennis coach and her mother a former player. In October 2026 she is world No. 30 in singles, No. 6 in women's doubles and No. 25 in mixed doubles, according to the ranking published on 26 October.
Kim Nayeong's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| WTT | Contender Taiyuan 2025: women's doubles (with Yoo Hanna) and mixed doubles (with Im Jonghoon) |
| National Championships | Singles, doubles and team in 2022 |
| Ranking | Singles career high No. 25 (February 2026); women's doubles No. 6 in October 2026 |
2025: two titles in Taiyuan
In April 2025, at WTT Contender Taiyuan, Kim won both events: mixed doubles with Im Jonghoon and women's doubles with Yoo Hanna, beating China's Tian Yi and Xue Yi 3-2 in the final. Also meet Shin Yubin and Joo Cheonhui, Korea's other young stars.
2026: eyeing the top
In May 2026 Kim took the then world No. 1, Sun Yingsha, to a fifth game before losing 3-2. Her career-high singles ranking, No. 25, came in February 2026. In October she is No. 30 in singles and in the top 6 in women's doubles. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Kim is described as an aggressive all-round player, right-handed with a shakehand grip. What defines her:
- Strong forehand attack, according to the profile we read.
- Good defensive range: she can hang in when the rally gets long.
- At 1.71 m, she has good reach at the table.
- Strong in doubles, with WTT titles alongside Yoo Hanna and Im Jonghoon. See grips.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 12 |
| Total | 8 | 12 |
| L | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-27 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Kim Nayeong KOR vs Bernadette Szocs ROU 0-3 7-11, 10-12, 9-11 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-08 | Women's doubles Quarterfinals | Chen Yi / Li Yihui CHN vs Nagasaki Miyu / Kim Nayeong JPN/KOR 3-2 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-07 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Kim Nayeong KOR vs Odo Satsuki JPN 0-3 3-11, 9-11, 8-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-07 | Women's doubles Round of 16 | Lily Zhang / Sally Moyland USA vs Nagasaki Miyu / Kim Nayeong JPN/KOR 1-3 3-11, 11-9, 13-15, 13-15 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-06 | Mixed doubles Round of 16 | Chan Baldwin / Kim Nayeong HKG/KOR vs Matsushima Sora / Harimoto Miwa JPN 1-3 17-15, 6-11, 10-12, 4-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-05 | Women's singles Round of 64 | Kim Nayeong KOR vs Andreea Dragoman ROU 3-2 11-9, 8-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-04 | Mixed doubles Round of 32 | Ivor Ban / Hana Arapovic CRO vs Chan Baldwin / Kim Nayeong HKG/KOR 0-3 2-11, 7-11, 7-11 |
| L | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-14 | Women's doubles Semifinals | Harimoto Miwa / Hayata Hina JPN vs Nagasaki Miyu / Kim Nayeong JPN/KOR 3-0 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Kim Nayeong?
She is a South Korean player born in 2005, right-handed, using the shakehand grip.
What is Kim Nayeong's ranking?
In October 2026 she is world No. 30 in singles and No. 6 in women's doubles. Her singles career high is No. 25.
Has Kim Nayeong won a WTT title?
Yes, women's doubles and mixed doubles at WTT Contender Taiyuan 2025.
Has Kim Nayeong played the world No. 1?
Yes. In May 2026 she lost 3-2 to Sun Yingsha after a close match.