Kai Minamisono going out on own terms with strong finish for Okemos boys tennis
As Okemos tennis coach Daniel Howard was putting together the lineup at the beginning of the season, he approached Kai Minamisono about making a return to doubles.
Minamisono had different ideas for his senior season.
And he made it known he wanted to go out on his own terms playing singles.
"I played doubles my freshman and sophomore year and last year I played two singles but didn't get the results I wanted so I wanted to play singles again," Minamisono said.
"Despite playing three (singles), I wanted to prove myself and go further than I did last year."
Minamisono has done just that.
Minamisono, who was voted the latest LSJ boys high school athlete of week winner, has put together a strong season at No. 3 singles for the CAAC Blue champion Wolves. He entered the MHSAA state finals with a 31-1 record, which included winning a Division 1 regional title on Oct. 9.
The regional title has helped Minamisono build off a junior season in 2024 where he was an honorable mention all-state selection at singles. He had won 15 matches by 6-0, 6-0 scores this season and five others by 6-1, 6-0 scores entering the Oct. 17-18 state finals in Midland.
Howard said Minamisono has been highly motivated since the season began and has consistently performed at a high level in practices and matches while helping Okemos to success.
"He's just got that killer instinct out on the court," Howard said. "I like to say he plays bully ball and that's not typically a term that's used often in tennis, but when it comes to Kai it fits. He's a heavy ball striker and he's got a really strong forehand and a powerful serve and he's really good at dictating play. I've been impressed. We had a conversation earlier in the season where I thought I might play him at doubles and he kind of insisted that he wanted to play singles and see how far he could get at that No. 3.
" … He's been our strongest flight consistently throughout the year. He most often finishes his match first and it's because he's beating guys so quickly. He's really just been dominant throughout the year."
Minamisono, who was also all-state as a doubles player in 2023, said this fall has been about leaving everything on the court with this likely being the last time he will play tennis this competitively.
"I won regionals and that was good," Minamisono said. "I just want to do everything I could before it's all over."
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Okemos' Kai Minamisono going out on own terms with tennis success
