Gilmour Handed Tough Draw for DAIHATSU Japan Open
15th July 2025 by Robert McLean
Scotland’s number one women’s singles player, Kirsty Gilmour, has been handed one of the most daunting opening round assignments at the DAIHATSU Japan Open 2025, where she will face the electric home favourite and world number 6, Tomoka Miyazaki, in the round of 32.
The match marks a rematch of their only previous encounter — the 2024 Arctic Open round of 16 — where Miyazaki came out on top in straight games, 21-16, 21-16. Since then, the 19-year-old Japanese star has continued her rapid rise up the BWF rankings and has become a crowd favourite with her aggressive shot-making, court speed, and mature tactical awareness well beyond her years.
For Gilmour, the challenge is immense but not unfamiliar. A seasoned campaigner on the BWF World Tour, the 31-year-old Scot has built a reputation for grit, resilience, and tactical smarts, having represented Scotland and GB at multiple Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games. She’ll need to draw on every ounce of that experience if she is to overcome one of badminton’s fastest-rising talents — and do so in front of a partisan crowd in Tokyo.
This match kicks off a crucial stretch in Gilmour’s 2025 calendar. After the Japan Open, she travels directly to China for next week’s Victor China Open, a HSBC World Tour Super 1000 tournament that forms part of the Asian swing. With the BWF World Championships in Paris just over a month away, a strong showing in Asia could be pivotal for form, confidence, and ranking points.
A victory over Miyazaki would not only mark revenge for last year’s loss but also signal real progress for Gilmour at a key point in the season. It would be a major statement win heading into a packed and prestigious late-summer schedule.
Kirsty is currently scheduled to be the fifth match on Court 2 tomorrow, and fans won’t want to miss it. Catch all the action live and free from Tokyo on the official BWF YouTube channel — your front-row seat to world-class badminton: 👉 BWF TV on YouTube
With the spotlight on Tokyo and the pressure on both sides of the net, this opening-round clash promises to deliver early drama in one of the year’s marquee events.
Stay tuned to the website and our social media channels for a full review at the conclusion of the event.
