Miyu Nagasaki: the Japanese lefty who won the junior world title
Miyu Nagasaki is a Japanese table tennis player born in 2002, a left-handed shakehand player. She was the first non-Chinese player to win the girls' singles at the World Junior Championships, in 2019, and won doubles bronze at the 2023 World Championships. Her best ranking is No. 14, in August 2025.
In this article
Miyu Nagasaki is one of the best-known lefties in Japanese table tennis. She drew attention young by winning the World Junior title and now plays the major WTT events. This page covers the career, titles and playing style of Miyu Nagasaki.
Who is Miyu Nagasaki
Miyu Nagasaki was born on 15 June 2002 in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is left-handed and plays the shakehand grip.
Miyu Nagasaki's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| Olympics | No confirmed appearance |
| World Championships | Team silver in 2018 and 2022; doubles bronze in 2023 |
| World Junior Championships | Girls' singles champion in 2019 |
| Asian Games | Team silver in 2022 |
| Asian Championships | Team gold in 2021 |
| WTT | Star Contender Ljubljana 2025 (singles) |
| Ranking | Career high: No. 14, in August 2025 |
From junior world champion to the WTT circuit
In 2019 Nagasaki became the first non-Chinese player to win the girls' singles at the World Junior Championships. At senior Worlds she took team silver in 2018 and 2022 and doubles bronze in 2023. In 2022 she also won team silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games. In 2025 she won singles at WTT Star Contender Ljubljana. In October 2026 she is world No. 18 in singles. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Nagasaki is a left-handed shakehand player. In short:
- Left-handed: serve and cross-court angles trouble many right-handers. See how to play against a lefty.
- Shakehand: a grip that allows attacking from both wings.
- Strong in doubles: the 2023 Worlds bronze and the 2026 Singapore Smash final show it. More on playing styles.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 11 |
| Total | 16 | 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 |
| 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 2026-10-04 | Women's singles Round of 64 | Nagasaki Miyu JPN vs Hayata Hina JPN 1-3 5-11, 5-11, 11-4, 2-11 |
| L | WTT Contender Panagyurishte 2026 2026-09-12 | Women's singles Semifinals | Yokoi Sakura JPN vs Nagasaki Miyu JPN 3-1 14-12, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7 |
| W | WTT Contender Panagyurishte 2026 2026-09-12 | Women's singles Quarterfinals | Akae Kaho JPN vs Nagasaki Miyu JPN 1-3 8-11, 12-10, 7-11, 7-11 |
| W | WTT Contender Panagyurishte 2026 2026-09-11 | Women's singles Round of 16 | Christina Kallberg SWE vs Nagasaki Miyu JPN 0-3 4-11, 5-11, 9-11 |
| L | WTT Contender Panagyurishte 2026 2026-09-10 | Women's doubles Round of 16 | Nagasaki Miyu / Ojio Yuna JPN vs Nicole Arlia / Gaia Monfardini ITA 1-3 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 12-14 |
| W | WTT Contender Panagyurishte 2026 2026-09-10 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Clea De Stoppeleire FRA vs Nagasaki Miyu JPN 0-3 9-11, 5-11, 8-11 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Miyu Nagasaki?
She is a Japanese player born in 2002, left-handed, shakehand, and the 2019 World Junior singles champion.
Is Miyu Nagasaki left-handed?
Yes. She plays with her left hand using the shakehand grip.
What is Miyu Nagasaki's highest ranking?
World No. 14, in August 2025. In October 2026 she is No. 18 in singles.
Does Miyu Nagasaki have World Championships medals?
Yes: team silver in 2018 and 2022 and doubles bronze in 2023.