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PLAYER PROFILE

Aiko Yoshitomi

Carolina Hogs player · Japanese tennis professional · PPA Tour Asia champion

Aiko Yoshitomi carried a WTA-ranked tennis career and a Universiade bronze medal into professional pickleball, becoming a PPA Tour Asia champion and a 2026 member of the Carolina Hogs.

September 15, 2026Evidence-backed revision
JAPAN · CAROLINA HOGS35
5.316DUPR Doubles · Women · Asia No. 26Observed August 11, 2026

PPA Women’s World Rank · September 15, 2026

Nagoya roots · Saitama home

A WTA-ranked tennis professional building a global pickleball career

Yoshitomi grew up in Nagoya, attended Sugiyama Jogakuen High School and graduated from Waseda University. She competed professionally in tennis, reaching career-high WTA rankings of No. 600 in singles and No. 333 in doubles.

Her tennis résumé includes a women’s doubles bronze medal with Erina Hayashi at the 2015 Summer Universiade. Yoshitomi later transferred that return game, movement and two-handed backhand to pickleball, beginning professional competition in September 2024 before entering the PPA professional system in 2025.

PROFESSIONAL TIMELINE

When did Aiko Yoshitomi become a professional pickleball player?

The Pickleball Japan Federation dates her professional start to September 2024. Her current PPA and Pickleball.com profiles use 2025 as her PPA professional year, so both records are preserved here.

Career timeline

From Waseda and the WTA rankings to PPA Tour Asia gold

Universiade bronze medal

Yoshitomi and Erina Hayashi earned women’s doubles bronze for Japan at the Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea.

Professional tennis career

She competed on the international tennis circuit and reached career highs of No. 600 in WTA singles and No. 333 in doubles.

Began professional pickleball

The Pickleball Japan Federation dates Yoshitomi’s professional start to September 2024. Her current PPA and Pickleball.com profiles use 2025 as her PPA professional year.

Reached the APP Sacramento main draw

Yoshitomi qualified for the women’s doubles main draw and reached its opening round.

PPA Tour Asia mixed doubles champion

She partnered Robert Stirling to win the Hong Kong Open mixed doubles final over Connie Lee and Giang Trinh, 11-1, 11-7.

Selected in the MLP Draft

Miami Pickleball Club selected Yoshitomi with the No. 54 overall pick.

Joined the Carolina Hogs

Miami first traded Yoshitomi to Texas, and the Ranchers then sent her to Carolina for Genie Bouchard in a same-day two-step transaction.

Dated ranking record

PPA and DUPR standings kept in their proper systems

PPA world ranking and DUPR ratings measure different things. Every figure is labeled and dated because both systems change as results are added.

PPA women’s world rank
No. 35 · September 15, 2026
PPA WPR points
1,870 · September 15, 2026
DUPR women’s doubles
5.316 · Asia No. 26 · August 11, 2026
DUPR women’s singles
5.058 · Asia No. 21 · August 11, 2026
2025 Hong Kong Open
Mixed doubles champion · Robert Stirling
2026 MLP Draft
Pick No. 54 · Miami Pickleball Club
Major League Pickleball

A same-day two-trade path from Miami to Carolina

JUNE 2, 2026CARCAROLINA HOGS

Miami drafted Yoshitomi with the No. 54 pick. On June 2, Miami sent her to Texas with Nico Acevedo, and the Ranchers then traded Yoshitomi to Carolina for Genie Bouchard.

Explore the complete Carolina Hogs roster →

Meet teammate Nicole Conard →

Career highlights

Results spanning tennis and professional pickleball

Universiade bronze

Women’s tennis doubles bronze for Japan with Erina Hayashi.

Hong Kong champion

PPA Tour Asia mixed doubles gold with Robert Stirling.

Carolina Hogs

Drafted by Miami and acquired by Carolina through a two-step June trade.

Dated equipment observation

What paddle was Aiko Yoshitomi documented using?

JOOLA

BEN JOHNS PERSEUS PRO IV 16MM

16JOOLA Japan listing · September 15, 2026

JOOLA Japan’s current Team JOOLA page listed Yoshitomi with the Ben Johns Perseus Pro IV 16mm when this profile was reviewed. The model is presented as a dated manufacturer observation because professional equipment can change.

COMPARE SAME-BRAND OPTIONS

JOOLA paddle options

These are same-brand shopping options, not a claim that every listed paddle is the exact BEN JOHNS PERSEUS PRO IV 16MM documented above. Price and availability can change.

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Introduction, singles and doubles footage

Watch Aiko Yoshitomi compete

Player introduction

Learn about pickleball with Aiko Yoshitomi

Aiko Yoshitomi feature

PPA women’s doubles

Hannah Blatt and Olivia McMillan vs. Aiko Yoshitomi and Estee Widdershoven

PPA Tour · 2026 Atlanta

PPA women’s doubles

Alix Truong and Chao Yi Wang vs. Aiko Yoshitomi and Estee Widdershoven

PPA Tour · 2026 Atlanta

PPA women’s singles

Hannah Blatt vs. Aiko Yoshitomi

PPA Tour · 2026 Atlanta

Verified player accounts

Follow Aiko Yoshitomi

Quick answers

Aiko Yoshitomi FAQs

Transparent sourcing

Primary evidence

Rankings, DUPR ratings, team membership and equipment are dated observations. The September 2024 and 2025 professional-start records are shown together rather than forcing conflicting official sources into one date.

01Pickleball Japan Federation professional profile↗02PPA Tour player profile↗03Pickleball.com player profile and statistics↗04Major League Pickleball: 2026 Draft results↗05Major League Pickleball: 2026 Trade Window No. 2↗06DUPR Asia rankings↗07WTA career statistics↗08ITF tennis profile↗09Waseda University tennis profile↗10PPA Tour Asia: 2025 Hong Kong Open recap↗11JOOLA Japan professional roster↗