Sora Matsushima: Japan's left-handed world No. 1
Sora Matsushima is a Japanese table tennis player born in Kyoto in 2007, a left-handed shakehand attacker. In 2026 he won the WTT United States Smash and China Smash and reached world No. 1, the first Japanese man on top since Seiji Ono in 1980.
In this article
Sora Matsushima is the breakout star of Japanese table tennis. Left-handed and aggressive, he went from Olympic reserve in 2024 to world No. 1 in 2026, at just 19. This page covers who Matsushima is, his titles, his 2026 run and his playing style.
Who is Sora Matsushima
Sora Matsushima was born on 29 April 2007 in Kyoto, Japan. He is left-handed and plays the shakehand grip. He represents the Okayama Rivets in the T.League and was a reserve for Japan at Paris 2024. He stands 1.72 m tall and is known for fast play close to the table.
Sora Matsushima's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| World Championships | Team silver, London 2026 |
| WTT | United States Smash 2026, China Smash 2026, Champions Frankfurt 2025, Contender Taiyuan 2025 |
| National | Japanese singles champion in 2025 and 2026 |
| Ranking | World No. 1 in 2026 |
2025: the breakthrough
In late 2025 Matsushima won WTT Champions Frankfurt and moved into the top 10. At the 2025 Japanese Championships he beat Tomokazu Harimoto, a sign that the new generation had caught up. See also Tomokazu Harimoto.
2026: world No. 1
In 2026 he won the WTT United States Smash, beating Vladimir Sidorenko in the final, and the WTT China Smash in October, defeating Lin Yun-Ju. At 19 he became the youngest world No. 1 ever, passing Lin Shidong's mark, and the first Japanese player on top since Seiji Ono in 1980. How the points work is explained in the table tennis world ranking. More on the country in Japan in table tennis.
Playing style
Matsushima is a left-handed shakehand attacker. His main strengths:
- High tempo: he takes the ball early and gives opponents no time.
- Left-handed: his serves and cross-court angles come from the side most right-handers dislike. See how to play against a lefty.
- Attack on both wings, with heavy forehand and backhand topspin.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 27 | 8 |
| Total | 27 | 8 |
| L | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-29 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Matsushima Sora JPN vs Vladimir Sidorenko RUS 1-3 10-12, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11 |
| W | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-27 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Matsushima Sora JPN vs Dang Qiu GER 3-2 11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 10-12, 11-2 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-11 | Men's singles Final | Lin Yun-Ju TPE vs Matsushima Sora JPN 3-4 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-11 | Men's singles Semifinals | Zhou Qihao CHN vs Matsushima Sora JPN 2-4 6-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 5-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-09 | Men's singles Quarterfinals | Feng Yi-Hsin TPE vs Matsushima Sora JPN 1-4 2-11, 7-11, 12-10, 6-11, 9-11 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-08 | Mixed doubles Semifinals | Lim Jonghoon / Shin Yubin KOR vs Matsushima Sora / Harimoto Miwa JPN 3-1 11-7, 13-11, 11-13, 11-7 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-08 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Kuo Guan-Hong TPE vs Matsushima Sora JPN 1-3 6-11, 11-5, 6-11, 4-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-07 | Mixed doubles Quarterfinals | Huang Youzheng / Chen Yi CHN vs Matsushima Sora / Harimoto Miwa JPN 2-3 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 5-11, 5-11 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Sora Matsushima?
He is a Japanese left-handed shakehand player born in Kyoto in 2007 and world No. 1 in 2026.
Is Sora Matsushima left-handed?
Yes. He plays with his left hand using the shakehand grip.
How old is Sora Matsushima?
He was born on 29 April 2007, so he is 19.
Is Matsushima world No. 1?
Yes. He leads the men's singles ranking with 8,550 points in the 26 October 2026 list.