Kiora Kunimoto

Profile

Kiora Kunimoto is an 18-year-old pickleball player from Hilo, Hawaii. Her father works as a pickleball coach, and she started pickleball in January 2025. Before that she starred in tennis, winning the 2025 Hawaii state high school singles championship.

Career and record

After switching to pickleball, she rose to prominence rapidly. At the PPA Challenger Series Raleigh event she won two gold medals and one silver. In subsequent pro women's singles she threatened top players, pulling off a string of notable upsets, including beating Brooke Buckner and Zoey Wang at the Pickleball Central Indoor National Championships. In Minnesota she also beat the top seed.

Play style

With the powerful strokes and athletic ability built in tennis as her weapons, she shows particular strength in singles. Her forte is an aggressive style full of youth and momentum.

Sponsor and latest developments

She is with Selkirk Sport (emerging pro team). As a goal for 2026 she has set being drafted onto an MLP team, aiming to strengthen her doubles and reach further heights in singles.

📎 Reference: Pickleball.com | Selkirk Sport | Selkirk Blog