Kumamoto Masters Japan opens with 250 to 300 players, depending on the source
The Super 500 in Kumamoto started on 10 November and runs until the 15th in five events; sources differ on the number of players and countries.
What happened
The Kumamoto Masters Japan opened on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at the Kumamoto Prefectural General Gymnasium, in the west of Kumamoto city, according to the regional daily Kumanichi. The paper counts about 300 players from 18 countries and regions, including top-ranked players, and says the competition runs until 15 November in five events: men's and women's singles, men's, women's and mixed doubles.
The numbers differ
A report carried by Yahoo News Japan speaks of the fourth edition, with about 250 top players from more than 20 countries. We cannot say which figure is right, and the sources do not explain the gap: it may come from entries counted at different times. The dates and the five events agree.
Before the first match
On the practice day, 9 November, Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, women's singles world No. 2, did a light session, and world No. 16 Hina Akechi and other local players trained too, the same report says. In a pre-tournament interview published on Yahoo News Japan, the women's doubles pair Ayaka Hobara and Rui Hirokami, who won their first World Tour title at the Korea Open the week before, said they want to face the event as challengers.
Why it matters
The event gives Japanese players a second Super 500 in two weeks, at home. This note covers the opening only: results will follow once confirmed.