ハワイ出身の15歳、島袋多磨（Tama Shimabukuro）がPPA Tour最終スラム「Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships」の男子シングルスで第22シードから決勝に進出し、準優勝を果たした。2026年5月開催の同大会で、島袋は第2シードのFederico Staksrudや第3シードのHunter Johnsonら上位選手を次々と撃破。ダブルスでも船水雄太とのペアで4位に食い込み、アトランタの観客席を「Tama Town」に変えた1週間だった。
An upset run from the No. 22 seed -- Shimabukuro's full singles progression
Shimabukuro entered the men's singles as the No. 22 seed. In his opening round of 32, he beat No. 13 seed Jaume Martinez Vich, then in the round of 16 came back to beat No. 2 seed Federico Staksrud 11-9 in the third game. In the quarterfinals he saw off No. 11 seed Noe Khlif.
The highlight was the semifinal against Hunter Johnson. Facing the formidable No. 3 seed, he dominated the third game 11-1. By this point Life Time Peachtree Corners was fully behind Shimabukuro. In the final he lost 5-11, 1-11 to world No. 1 Chris Haworth, but the fact that at 15 he reached his first Championship Sunday stage is undeniable.
Fourth in doubles with an all-Japanese pairing alongside Yuta Funemizu
Shimabukuro's charge was not limited to singles. In men's doubles he paired with Yuta Funemizu, the first Japanese player signed exclusively to the PPA/MLP, and entered the tournament as the No. 19 seed. After beating the No. 2 seeds Hayden Patriquin/Christian Alshon 11-8 in the third game in the round of 16, they got past Riley Newman/Armaan Bhatia in the quarterfinals.
They lost to Roscoe Bellamy/Connor Garnett in the semifinals and fell to Andrei Daescu/Federico Staksrud in the third-place match, finishing fourth, but it is hugely significant that two players with Japanese roots -- a teenager and a twenty-something -- broke into the world's top four.
Tama Shimabukuro's full singles record
| Round | Opponent | Opponent's seed | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | Jaume Martinez Vich | #13 | Win |
| Round of 16 | Federico Staksrud | #2 | Win (third game 11-9) |
| Quarterfinals | Noe Khlif | #11 | Win |
| Semifinals | Hunter Johnson | #3 | Win (third game 11-1) |
| Final | Chris Haworth | #1 | Loss (5-11, 1-11) |
"These crowds carried me through every match" -- reaction on the ground
In an interview after the final, Shimabukuro said, "The crowds were so great this whole week. I was just trying to stay calm, and this crowd got me through every match."
The nickname "Tama Town" arose spontaneously at the venue. Throughout the event, Atlanta fans kept giving Shimabukuro standing ovations. As a 15-year-old unseeded name beat the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in a row, PPA Tour broadcast commentators repeatedly called it "the biggest story of the event."
His all-Japanese pairing with Yuta Funemizu also drew attention, and the surge of the two -- a soft tennis world champion and a former skateboarder, an unusual mix of backgrounds -- became a big talking point on social media.
What it means for Japan's pickleball world
Shimabukuro's run to the final is the first time a player with roots in Japan and Hawaii has reached a PPA Tour singles final. It can be called a feat that follows the trend set by Yuta Funemizu, who turned pro from soft tennis in 2024 and became the first Japanese player drafted in the MLP.
Shimabukuro is from the Kakaako district of Honolulu. He started skateboarding at age 6 and, after landing sponsors such as Nike SB and Zero Skateboards, switched to pickleball just two years ago. The core balance and reflexes he built through skateboarding come alive on the court. The evolution of his technique, freely wielding a one-handed backhand volley, also supported his leap at this event.
The rise of a 15-year-old signals a generational shift on the PPA Tour
This event was held as the final Slam of the 2025-26 PPA Tour. The three players Shimabukuro beat in singles -- Staksrud, Khlif, and Johnson -- are all active top-15 players, at a level where beating even one is considered a feat.
His final opponent, Chris Haworth, won with overwhelming dominance, dropping only a single game the entire event, showing the strength of a world No. 1. Yet the fact that a 15-year-old sat across from him in that final symbolizes the accelerating generational shift on the PPA Tour.
Event summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Tournament Name | Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships |
| Location | Life Time Peachtree Corners (Georgia) |
| Dates | April 27 – May 3, 2026 |
| Position | 2025-26 PPA Tour final Slam |
| Men's singles champion | Chris Haworth (No. 1 seed) |
| Men's singles runner-up | Tama Shimabukuro (No. 22 seed) |
| Shimabukuro's doubles result | 4th (partner: Yuta Funemizu) |
Summary
The 15-year-old Tama Shimabukuro reaching the PPA Atlanta men's singles final from the No. 22 seed is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the 2026 pickleball world. An unusual background out of skateboarding, just two years of competitive history, and a fourth-place finish in doubles with Yuta Funemizu. In the final Haworth showed the gap in class, but the experience gained on a stage where a 15-year-old has "nothing to lose" is immeasurable. The world is watching how far Shimabukuro can climb at the next PPA Tour event.
Source:
The Kitchen Pickle – 2026 Atlanta Pickleball Championships recap
Pickleball.com – Tama Shimabukuro Makes His Mark
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