Yui Kamiji misses wheelchair tennis gold, hails Chinese rival at Asian Para Games

From Kyodo

October 22 2026

NAGOYA – Former world No. 1 Yui Kamiji missed out on gold in the wheelchair tennis women’s singles event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games on Thursday, but praised her Chinese rival who defeated her in the final and clinched a berth for the Los Angeles Paralympics.

Kamiji, who completed a career Golden Slam this year, lost to third-ranked Li Xiaohui 6-1, 7-6(2) in Nagoya after pushing the second set to a tiebreak.

“Honestly speaking, my condition has not improved even after the games started this week,” said Kamiji, who contracted influenza in late September and injured her racket-hand thumb earlier this week.

“Ultimately, I think it came down to my lack of preparation, and that’s something I regret,” Kamiji, currently ranked second, said.

Asked about the final between the world Nos. 2 and 3, Kamiji praised 27-year-old Li, saying, “When I saw her after she won gold, I felt a stronger sense of wanting to congratulate her.”

While acknowledging a sense of urgency as a player, the 32-year-old said she was “simply happy” to see more athletes emerging who can help elevate wheelchair tennis across Asia.

Kamiji, who was born with a disability affecting both legs, made her Paralympic debut at the 2012 London Games while still a high school student.

A leading figure in Japanese women’s wheelchair tennis, Kamiji claimed gold in both singles and doubles at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

In July, she completed the career Golden Slam, collecting all four Grand Slam titles and Paralympic gold, with her maiden Wimbledon women’s wheelchair singles title.

With a Paralympic berth at stake in the Asian Para Games final, Kamiji said the loss to Li provided a “good opportunity” to reflect on her own tennis, adding, “I’m not sure how long I will continue playing.”

Earlier in the day, men’s world No.1 Tokito Oda beat Dong Shunjiang of China in the semifinals, advancing to the final the following day.

A native of Aichi Prefecture, the 20-year-old Oda became one of the biggest attractions of the host games.

Wheelchair tennis is played under the same rules as conventional tennis, with the exception that players are allowed up to two bounces of the ball.