Chiharu Shida and Ririka Himoto Claim Aomori National Sports Festival Title
The newly formed doubles pairing went undefeated through the tournament bracket in Aomori, securing the championship on October 14. Shida previously competed alongside Nami Matsuyama in a partnership that became widely known before their split, followed by a brief stint with Arisa Igarashi that lasted less than a year. For her latest return to competition, Shida teamed up with Himoto, a junior from her alma mater Aomori Yamada High School and the reigning 2024 world junior champion in women’s doubles.
The pairing traveled to Aomori—a region Shida considers a second home—and immediately established an aggressive rhythm on the court. On October 13, Shida advanced to the final by winning both her quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Himoto carried a heavy workload during the event, contesting both the women’s doubles bracket and the singles competition, where she also won her opening two singles matches.
Ririka was amazing!! Her performance was super outstanding, thank you!
Shida wrote on social media following the victories, praising her younger partner’s output during the rigorous weekend.
Social Media Reaction and Upcoming French Open Schedule
Following the conclusion of the tournament matches, Shida shared her thoughts on Instagram regarding her return to competitive play in her home prefecture.
I am very fortunate to participate as a representative of Aomori Prefecture and successfully win the championship,
Shida wrote online. I feel extremely happy to be able to play in such a warm venue! Thank you to everyone who cheered for me, the staff who warmly supported me every day, and the hard work of my juniors, which also gave me strength! Thank you very much for everyone’s support. These four days have been extraordinarily happy!
The newly minted partners do not have a long break before their next competitive test. Shida and Himoto plan to travel together to compete at the 2026 French Open scheduled for October.
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