Akane Yamaguchi

Akane Yamaguchi(山口茜, Yamaguchi Akane; born 6 June 1997) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in women's singles. A former world number one, she became the first Japanese singles player to reach the top ranking on 19 April 2018. Yamaguchi is a three-time World Champion, winning the title in 2021, 2022 and 2025. This makes her the first Japanese player in any discipline to win three world titles. Her other major individual tournament victories include the All England Open, the Asian Championships, and the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals. At the junior level, she won back-to-back World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014. While still a junior player, she also transitioned to the senior circuit and became the youngest player to win a BWF Super Series tournament at the 2013 Japan Open. In team events, Yamaguchi was part of the squads that won gold at the 2018 Asian Games, the 2018 Uber Cup, the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships, and the 2018 and 2020 Asia Team Championships. Earlier in her career, she was named the BWF Most Promising Player of the Year in both 2013 and 2014, and she later received the BWF Female Player of the Year award in 2022.

Early life and junior career

Akane Yamaguchi was born in Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan, on 6 June 1997. The youngest of three children, she was introduced to badminton by her two older brothers and first held a racquet at age three. She began playing competitively at five, coached by her father at the local Heisenji Sports Club. Yamaguchi has stated that losses to her brothers motivated her to improve her skills. Diagnosed with asthma as a child, she took swimming lessons until the sixth grade to improve her health and body balance, focusing on backstroke to counter the one-sided bias of badminton. During her childhood, Yamaguchi had limited awareness of Japan's or the world's top players, instead developing her skills by studying examples from local players and coaches.

While at Heisenji Elementary School, she was a five-time champion at the National Elementary School ABC Tournament and won the National Elementary School Championship singles title for four consecutive years. At age nine, she was selected for the junior national team. During her time at Katsuyama Minami Junior High, she won both All Japan Junior Championships Newcomers' Division in her first year, followed by the National Junior High School Tournament title in her third year. At age 14, she became the youngest player to compete at the All Japan Championships, though she lost in the first round. In December 2012, at age 15, she became the youngest player ever selected for Japanese national A team.

Despite receiving offers from schools with elite badminton programs, Yamaguchi chose to attend her local Katsuyama High School to play with childhood friends. From 2013 to 2015, she became the first player in the tournament's history to win three consecutive singles titles at the National High School Championships (Inter-High). In 2014, at 17 years and 6 months old, she became the fourth high school student to win the All Japan Championships and the second-youngest winner in the tournament's history, after Nozomi Okuhara. Following her graduation in 2016, she joined the Saishunkan Pharmaceutical badminton team.

Career

2012: International debut

Yamaguchi began her junior international career in 2012. At the Asian Junior Championships, she won a bronze medal in girls' singles and was part of the Japanese team that won the nation's first mixed team title. Later that year, she claimed a silver medal in girls' singles and the mixed team event at the World Junior Championships. She also made her senior international debut that year at the Osaka International, where she upset the first seed Bellaetrix Manuputty in the first round, before losing to Ayumi Mine in the next round.

2013: First Super Series title and World Junior champion

In 2013, Yamaguchi won her first Super Series title at the Japan Open. Advancing from the qualifying round, her victory at the age of 16 years, 3 months, and 16 days made her the youngest player ever to win a Super Series event. This win also marked Japan's first title at the Japan Open in any discipline in 32 years and only the second-ever Super Series women's singles title won by a Japanese player. On the junior circuit, Yamaguchi won her first World Junior Championships title, defeating compatriot Aya Ohori in the final. Her other results that year included a gold medal in mixed doubles at the Asian Youth Games, a bronze medal in women's singles at the East Asian Games, and runner-up finishes at both the New Zealand Open and the Osaka International. For her performance throughout the season, Yamaguchi was named the BWF Most Promising Player of the Year.

2014: Junior titles and senior breakthrough

In 2014, Yamaguchi successfully defended her World Junior Championships title, becoming the first Japanese player in the tournament's history to win consecutive titles across all disciplines. That same year, she won the Asian Junior Championships. She also contributed to Japan's mixed team bronze medals at both the World and Asian Junior Championships. At the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, she served as the flag-bearer for the Japanese team and earned a silver medal in girls' singles. On the senior circuit, she reached her first Super Series Premier final at the China Open, finishing as runner-up after victories over Wang Shixian and Sun Yu. Her performance qualified her for the season-ending BWF Super Series Finals, where she reached the semifinals. She was also a member of the Japanese team that won the silver medal at the Uber Cup. For the second consecutive year, she was named the BWF Most Promising Player of the Year.

2015: First Grand Prix Gold title

In 2015, Yamaguchi won her first BWF Grand Prix Gold title at the Bitburger Open, where she defeated Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the final. She also finished as the runner-up at the Japan Open Super Series, losing the final to her compatriot Nozomi Okuhara. During the Indonesian Open, she defeated the reigning Olympic champion, Li Xuerui, in the second round. In team competition, she helped Japan win the silver medal at the Sudirman Cup, which marked the country's first-ever silver medal at the event.

2016: Olympic debut and two Super Series titles

Yamaguchi made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by her compatriot Nozomi Okuhara. Following the Olympics, she won back-to-back Super Series titles at the Korea Open and the Denmark Open. She also helped the Japanese team win a bronze medal at the Uber Cup.

2017: Season-ending title and Asian team gold

Yamaguchi won three titles in 2017: the German Open, the China Open, and the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals. She also finished as the runner-up at the Asian Championships, the Australian Open, the Denmark Open, and the French Open. At the World Championships, she entered as the top seed but was eliminated in the third round. In team competition, she was part of the squad that won Japan's first Asia Mixed Team Championships title. She concluded the season as the year's highest-earning player, collecting US$261,363 from 15 tournaments.

2018: World No. 1 and Uber Cup champion

In 2018, Yamaguchi became the world No. 1 for the first time. That year, she was a member of the Japanese women's team that won gold medals at Asia Team Championships, the Asian Games, and the Uber Cup. The Uber Cup title was Japan's first in 37 years. Individually, she won bronze medals at the World Championships and the Asian Games. On the BWF World Tour, she won two titles: the German Open and the French Open, and finished as the runner-up at the All England Open. She capped off her year with a semifinal finish at the BWF World Tour Finals.

2019: Asian Champion and return to World No. 1

In 2019, Yamaguchi became the first Japanese player to win the women's singles title at the Asian Championships. On the World Tour, she secured three titles: the German Open, her first Super 1000 title at the Indonesia Open, and the Japan Open. Her consecutive victories in Indonesia and Japan propelled her back to the World No. 1 ranking on 30 July. She also finished as the runner-up at the Malaysia Open and earned a silver medal with the Japanese team at the Sudirman Cup. The latter half of the season was disrupted by injuries; a lower back injury sustained after the Japan Open limited her preparation for the World Championships, resulting in a second-round exit. She later suffered a right calf injury, forcing her withdrawal from the Korea Open, before ending the season with a semifinal finish at the BWF World Tour Finals.

2020–2021: Olympic campaign and first World Championship title

In a 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Yamaguchi's primary achievement was winning the Thailand Masters. In team competition, she was a member of the Japanese team that won the Asian Women's team championship.

The following year, in 2021, Yamaguchi competed as the fourth seed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she lost in the quarterfinals to P. V. Sindhu. On the BWF World Tour, she won two consecutive titles at the Denmark Open and the French Open, and finished as the runner-up at the Indonesia Masters. In team competitions, she was a member of the Japanese squad that earned silver medals at both the Sudirman Cup and the Uber Cup. Yamaguchi ended the year by capturing her first world title at the 2021 World Championships in Huelva, after defeating Tai Tzu-ying in the final. With this victory, she became the second Japanese women's singles player to win the World Championships after Nozomi Okuhara.

2022: Second World Championship title and All England champion

In 2022, Yamaguchi successfully defended her world champion title at the World Championships in Tokyo and won her first All England Open title. Her victory at the World Championships made her the first Japanese women's singles player to win consecutive world titles. On the BWF World Tour, she also won the Japan Open and concluded the season by winning the BWF World Tour Finals. Furthermore, Yamaguchi was the runner-up at the Asian Championships and was part of the Japanese team that won a bronze medal at the Uber Cup. In recognition of her performances, she was named the BWF Female Player of the Year.

2023: Five World Tour titles and season-ending injury

In 2023, Yamaguchi won five World Tour titles: the Malaysia Open, German Open, Malaysia Masters, Canada Open, and Hong Kong Open. She also finished as runner-up at the China Open, Singapore Open, and India Open. At major individual championships, she secured bronze medals at both the World Championships and the Asian Championships. She also contributed to Japan's bronze medal finishes at the Sudirman Cup and the Asian Games. However, her season was curtailed by a right peroneal tendon injury sustained during the Asian Games in September, forcing her to retire from the match. This injury subsequently led to her withdrawal from the rest of her scheduled tournaments, including the season-ending World Tour Finals in Hangzhou.

2024: Olympic run and two home titles

After a three-and-a-half-month recovery from a right foot injury sustained in late 2023, Yamaguchi began her 2024 season in January. She finished as the runner-up at consecutive tournaments the French Open and the All England Open. However, she retired during the All England final due to a right hip injury. This hip injury recurred at the Uber Cup in May, where she contributed to Japan's bronze medal. The injury continued to disrupt her Olympic preparations, leading to a withdrawal from the Indonesia Open in June and delaying her return to full-scale training until July, mere weeks before the Olympics. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she reached the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual gold medalist, An Se-young. Following the Olympics, Yamaguchi secured two titles on home soil at the Japan Open and the Japan Masters. Her season concluded with another injury-forced retirement, this time due to a right calf injury, at the All Japan Championships in December.

2025: Third World Championship title

Returning from a calf injury that concluded her 2024 season, Yamaguchi's 2025 season was highlighted by her victory at the World Championships in Paris. She secured her third women's singles world title by defeating Chen Yufei in the final (21–9, 21–13). This victory made her the first Japanese player in any discipline to win three world championships titles. On the World Tour, she consistently reached the semifinals in six tournaments she entered, including the three Super 1000 events: the All England Open, the Indonesia Open, and the China Open. She won her first world tour of the year in Korea Open and continues her good form by winning Arctic Open. She also reached the quarterfinals at the Asian Championships and contributed to Japan's bronze medal at the Sudirman Cup.

2026: Two titles in four consecutive finals

Yamaguchi began her 2026 season in January at the Malaysia Open. She reached the quarterfinals but retired from her match against India's P. V. Sindhu due to a right knee injury. Despite limited practice time and the lingering effects of her injury, she reached the semifinals of the All England Open in March, where she lost to the eventual champion, Wang Zhiyi. The following month, Yamaguchi won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Ningbo after losing the semifinal to Wang in three games. Later that month, she represented Japan at the Uber Cup in Horsens, contributing to the team's bronze medal finish. Between May and June, Yamaguchi reached four consecutive tournament finals. She secured her first title of the year at the Super 500 Thailand Open, where she defeated Chen Yufei in the final. This was followed by consecutive runner-up finishes at the Singapore Open and the Indonesia Open, where she lost both finals to An Se-young. In mid-June, Yamaguchi captured her second title of the season at the Super 500 Australian Open, defeating Pornpawee Chochuwong in the final.

Rivalries

An Se-young

Yamaguchi maintains a prominent rivalry with South Korea's An Se-young, with An currently leading their head-to-head record 18–15 across 33 encounters. Yamaguchi's victories in finals against An include the 2020 Thailand Masters, 2021 Denmark Open, 2022 All England Open, 2022 Japan Open, 2023 Malaysia Open, 2023 German Open, and the 2025 Korea Open. Conversely, An has secured titles against Yamaguchi in the finals of the 2021 Indonesia Masters, 2023 India Open, 2023 Singapore Open, 2023 China Open, 2024 French Open, as well as the 2026 Singapore Open and 2026 Indonesia Open. Their encounters at major championships include the 2024 Paris Olympics quarterfinals, where An defeated Yamaguchi en route to winning the gold medal. Yamaguchi has defeated An in two World Championships matches: in the 2021 quarterfinals and 2022 semifinals, en route to her world titles.

Chen Yufei

Yamaguchi has a long-standing rivalry with China's Chen Yufei, leading their head-to-head record 23–14 across 37 encounters. Their most significant matches include two World Championships finals, where Yamaguchi defeated Chen to secure the gold medal in both the 2022 Tokyo and 2025 Paris editions. Yamaguchi has also defeated Chen in the finals of the 2018 German Open and the 2026 Thailand Open. Conversely, Chen has secured several victories against Yamaguchi, including an upset win over the top-seeded Yamaguchi in the third round of the 2017 World Championships, as well as semifinal victories at the 2019 World Tour Finals, 2023 All England Open, and 2023 China Open. They have also frequently represented Japan and China as top singles players in major team events; notably, Chen defeated Yamaguchi in the final of the 2019 Sudirman Cup to help China claim the title.

Nozomi Okuhara

Yamaguchi shares a domestic rivalry with compatriot Nozomi Okuhara, with Okuhara leading their head-to-head record 12–9 across 21 encounters. Their rivalry began in their junior careers, with Okuhara defeating Yamaguchi in the final of the 2012 World Junior Championships. In their senior careers, Okuhara achieved key victories, including the quarterfinal of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the finals of the 2015 Japan Open and 2017 Australian Open. Yamaguchi's significant wins include defeating Okuhara in the 2019 Japan Open final. Their matches have frequently determined the top position in Japanese women's singles.

Tai Tzu-ying

Yamaguchi has a closely contested rivalry with Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying, with Tai leading their head-to-head record 13–11 in 24 encounters. Yamaguchi's notable victories against Tai in finals include the 2021 World Championships, the 2022 World Tour Finals, the 2016 Denmark Open, and the 2018 French Open. Conversely, Tai has defeated Yamaguchi in the finals of the 2017 Asian Championships, the 2017 French Open, the 2018 All England Open, and the 2019 Malaysia Open.

Playing style

Chinese player Sun Yu described Yamaguchi's style, noting that despite her small stature, she is diligent, swift, and adept at retrieving difficult shots that others typically cannot save. Sun Yu characterized her play as based on patience and consistent performance, observing that she makes few mistakes and capitalizes on opponents' rushed errors. Another Chinese player, Wang Shixian, concurred that Yamaguchi is quick and nimble, suggesting challengers must match her speed.

In 2014, Chinese team head coach Li Yongbo commented that Yamaguchi plays with patience and quality. Regarding her short stature and potential for further development, he stated that badminton talent is not limited by height restrictions, and her skill is sufficient to compensate for her height. He added that her future would depend on her performance in the coming year.

Honours and awards

• BWF Awards: Eddy Choong Most Promising Player of the Year (2013).
• BWF Awards: Eddy Choong Most Promising Player of the Year (2014).
• Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Sports Award: Newcomer Award (2014).
• Yonex: Minoru Yoneyama Award (2014).
• Katsuyama City: Citizen's Honor Award (2018).
• Kumamoto Prefecture: Sports Special Achievement Award (2022).
• BWF Awards: Player of the Year (2022).
• Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Sports Award: Outstanding Award (2022).
• Yonex: Minoru Yoneyama Award (2023).
• Fukui Prefecture: Prefectural Honor Award (2025).

Achievements

World Championships

Women's singles

Asian Games

Women's singles

Asian Championships

Women's singles

East Asian Games

Women's singles

Youth Olympic Games

Girls' singles

World Junior Championships

Girls' singles

Asian Youth Games

Mixed doubles

Asian Junior Championships

Girls' singles

BWF World Tour (22 titles, 10 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018, is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super1000, Super750, Super500, Super300, and the BWF Tour Super100.

Women's singles

BWF Superseries (5 titles, 5 runners-up)

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the BWF. BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Women's singles

BWF Superseries Finals tournament

BWF Superseries Premier tournament

BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the BWF and played between 2007 and 2017.

Women's singles

BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament

BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (1 runner-up)

Women's singles

BWF International Challenge tournament

Performance timeline

Key

Overview

National team

Junior level

Senior level

Individual competitions

Junior level

Girls' singles

Mixed doubles

Senior level

Women's singles

Women's doubles

Record against other players

Yamaguchi's record against year-end finals finalists, world championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 14 June 2026.

External links

• atBWFBadminton.com
• atBWF.TournamentSoftware.com (archived)
• at Badminton Association of Japan (in Japanese)
• at Saishunkan Badminton (in Japanese)
• atOlympics.com
• atOlympedia
• at InterSportStats
• atTeam Japan(in Japanese)()
• at Smash and Net TV (in Japanese)
• onInstagram