Akane Yamaguchi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Akane Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi in 2023
Personal information
Born	(1997-06-06) 6 June 1997 (age 29) Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan
Height	1.56 m
Weight	55 kg
Country	Japan
Years active	2012–present
Handedness	Right
Women's singles
Highest Ranking	1
Current Ranking	3
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  Japan World Championships 2021 Huelva Women's singles 2022 Tokyo Women's singles 2025 Paris Women's singles 2026 New Delhi Women's singles Bronze 2018 Nanjing Women's singles Bronze 2023 Copenhagen Women's singles Sudirman Cup 2015 Dongguan Mixed team 2019 Nanning Mixed team 2021 Vantaa Mixed team Bronze 2017 Gold Coast Mixed team Bronze 2023 Suzhou Mixed team Bronze 2025 Xiamen Mixed team Uber Cup 2018 Bangkok Women's team 2014 New Delhi Women's team 2020 Aarhus Women's team Bronze 2016 Kunshan Women's team Bronze 2022 Bangkok Women's team Bronze 2024 Chengdu Women's team Bronze 2026 Horsens Women's team Asian Games 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Women's team 2026 Aichi–Nagoya Women's singles 2026 Aichi–Nagoya Women's team Bronze 2014 Incheon Women's team Bronze 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Women's singles Bronze 2022 Hangzhou Women's team Asian Championships 2019 Wuhan Women's singles 2017 Wuhan Women's singles 2022 Manila Women's singles Bronze 2023 Dubai Women's singles Bronze 2026 Ningbo Women's singles Asia Mixed Team Championships 2017 Ho Chi Minh Mixed team Asia Team Championships 2018 Alor Setar Women's team 2020 Manila Women's team Youth Olympic Games 2014 Nanjing Girls' singles World Junior Championships 2013 Bangkok Girls' singles 2014 Alor Setar Girls' singles 2012 Chiba Girls' singles Asian Youth Games 2013 Nanjing Mixed doubles Asian Junior Championships 2012 Gimcheon Mixed team 2014 Taipei Girls' singles

Akane Yamaguchi is a world-class athlete who plays badminton for Japan. She plays in the exciting women's singles division on the court. On 19 April 2018, she became the world number one player. She was the first Japanese singles player ever to reach that top spot. She is a three-time champion at the huge BWF World Championships. She won gold medals in 2021, 2022, and 2025. She is the first Japanese player across all badminton events to win three world crowns. She also won the silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games. Over her career, she has captured major tournaments like the historic All England Open. She has also won the Asian Championships and the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals.

Yamaguchi started amazing badminton fans while she was still a junior athlete. She won back-to-back titles at the BWF World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014. While still very young, she began competing against adult players worldwide. She became the youngest champion in BWF Super Series history at the 2013 Japan Open. She has also helped her home country in great team events. She won gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and the prestigious 2018 Uber Cup. Because of her incredible play, the Badminton World Federation honored her multiple times. She won the BWF Most Promising Player of the Year twice. Later, she earned the supreme BWF Female Player of the Year title in 2022.

The Early Life of a Badminton Champion

Yamaguchi was born in the snowy town of Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan, on 6 June 1997. She was the youngest child in her family, having two older brothers. Her brothers played badminton, so she picked up a racquet at age three. She started playing in organized games at five years old. Her father was her first coach at the Heisenji Sports Club. Playing matches against her older brothers taught her to be determined and fast. When she lost to them, it only pushed her to practice harder.

As a young girl, she had breathing difficulties called asthma. To build stronger lungs and keep a balanced body, she took swimming lessons. She swam until the sixth grade, focusing especially on the backstroke style. Swimming helped balance her body because badminton uses one arm much more. When she was small, she did not watch famous international badminton stars. Instead, she learned by copying skilled local coaches and players in her town.

Dominating School Tournaments

During elementary school, Yamaguchi was almost impossible to beat on the court. She won the National Elementary School ABC Tournament five different times. She also won four straight singles titles at the National Elementary School Championship. When she turned nine, coaches picked her for the junior national squad. Later, she went to Katsuyama Minami Junior High School. She quickly won the All Japan Junior Championships Newcomers' Division. In her third year, she captured the National Junior High School title.

At only 14 years old, she played in the senior All Japan Badminton Championships. That made her the youngest player ever to qualify for that tournament. In December 2012, at age 15, she joined Japan's national A team. She was the youngest player in history chosen for that elite roster. Elite high schools invited her to join their top badminton academies. However, she stayed home and attended Katsuyama High School. She wanted to practice badminton while staying close to her childhood friends.

From 2013 to 2015, Yamaguchi made history during her busy high school years. She won the National High School Championships three years in a row. No singles player had ever achieved three straight titles before. In 2014, at 17 years old, she won the senior All Japan Championships. She became the second-youngest player to win it, after her teammate Nozomi Okuhara. After graduating from high school in 2016, she joined the Kumamoto Saishunkan corporate badminton team.

The Early International Years

Yamaguchi entered the junior international tournament scene in 2012 with great success. At the Asian Junior Championships, she claimed a bronze medal in girls' singles. She also helped Japan win its first mixed team gold medal there. Later in 2012, she won silver at the World Junior Championships in singles. She collected another team silver medal during that same big tournament in Chiba.

She also tried her skills on the senior international circuit in 2012. She played at the Osaka International tournament close to home. In the first round, she shocked top seed Bellaetrix Manuputty. Even though she lost her next match to Ayumi Mine, she showed huge potential.

A Record-Breaking Teenager in 2013

The year 2013 was a breakout season for Yamaguchi on the world stage. She entered the prestigious Japan Open through the tough qualifying rounds. She won match after match, reaching the grand final against Shizuka Uchida. Yamaguchi won the final match in straight sets to capture the crown. At 16 years and 3 months old, she became the youngest Super Series champion ever. Her victory was also Japan's first singles win at the Japan Open in 32 years.

Yamaguchi continued to dominate junior tournaments during that same exciting season. She won the World Junior Championships by defeating fellow Japanese player Aya Ohori. She took home a gold medal in mixed doubles at the Asian Youth Games. She added a bronze medal in singles at the East Asian Games. She was the runner-up at the New Zealand Open as well. Because of these huge wins, she was named the BWF Most Promising Player of the Year.

Shining at the Junior and Senior Level in 2014

Yamaguchi defended her world junior singles title in 2014 with great skill. At the World Junior Championships, she beat China's talented player He Bingjiao. She was the first Japanese athlete ever to win back-to-back world junior crowns. She also won the Asian Junior Championships singles title that year. She helped Japan take bronze in the team contests at both championships.

At the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, she was chosen as Japan's flag-bearer. She earned a silver medal in the girls' singles tournament. She also made waves at the senior China Open. There, she defeated Chinese stars Wang Shixian and Sun Yu before finishing as runner-up. That run qualified her for the BWF Super Series Finals, where she reached the semifinals. She helped Japan take silver at the Uber Cup, winning another Most Promising Player award.

Rising Up the World Rankings in 2015

In 2015, Yamaguchi continued to prove that she belonged among the world's best. She won her first Grand Prix Gold tournament at the Bitburger Open. She defeated Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan in a thrilling three-game final match. She also made it to the final of the Japan Open once again. She took home the silver medal after a tough contest against Nozomi Okuhara.

At the Indonesia Open, she scored a massive victory over Olympic champion Li Xuerui. She beat Li in the second round, thrilling the crowd with her quick footwork. Yamaguchi also represented Japan at the world mixed team championship, the Sudirman Cup. She helped her country finish second, securing Japan's first silver medal at the tournament.

Reaching the Top of World Badminton

Yamaguchi made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil. She played very well, advancing all the way to the Olympic quarterfinals. There, she faced her Japanese teammate Nozomi Okuhara in a hard-fought match. Okuhara won the contest, but Yamaguchi gained valuable experience on the world stage.

Following the Rio Games, Yamaguchi went on an incredible winning streak in Asia and Europe. In September, she won the Korea Open title, defeating South Korea's Sung Ji-hyun. The next month, she won the Denmark Open by beating Tai Tzu-ying. That victory gave Yamaguchi her very first Super Series Premier trophy. She ended the season at the Dubai Super Series Finals and took home bronze at the Uber Cup.

Becoming the Best in the World in 2017 and 2018

Yamaguchi had a spectacular 2017 season, collecting three major individual tournament trophies. She won the German Open by defeating Spain's champion Carolina Marín. She captured the China Open title against Gao Fangjie. She finished the year by winning the prestigious Dubai World Superseries Finals against P. V. Sindhu. She also earned silver medals at four other big international tournaments. Yamaguchi was the highest-earning badminton player of the entire 2017 season.

On 19 April 2018, Yamaguchi achieved a lifelong dream by becoming the world number one. She was the first Japanese singles player in history to hold that top ranking. She won the German Open by beating China's rising star Chen Yufei. She reached the final of the All England Open, taking the silver medal against Tai Tzu-ying. Later, she won the French Open and took bronze at the World Championships.

She also led Japan to historic team victories during the 2018 season. Japan captured the Asia Team Championships in Malaysia. At the Uber Cup in Bangkok, Japan won the world team championship gold medal. It was Japan's first Uber Cup title in 37 long years. She then led Japan's women to team gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Asian Champion and Overcoming Challenges

In 2019, Yamaguchi made history at the Asian Championships in Wuhan, China. She defeated He Bingjiao in the final to become the first Japanese women's champion there. On the BWF World Tour, she won three huge tournament titles. She retained her title at the German Open against Ratchanok Intanon. She then won back-to-back Super 1000 events at the Indonesia Open and the Japan Open.

Those victories returned her to the world number one ranking on 30 July 2019. However, injuries began to slow her down during the second half of the year. A painful lower back injury hurt her performance at the World Championships. Later, a calf injury forced her to withdraw from the Korea Open. Despite the pain, she fought hard to reach the semifinals at the BWF World Tour Finals.

World Championship Triumphs and Olympic Battles

Badminton tournaments were paused during much of 2020 due to global events. Before the pause, Yamaguchi won the Thailand Masters by beating An Se-young. She also helped Japan capture the gold medal at the Asian Women's Team Championship.

In 2021, Yamaguchi competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held on home soil. She was seeded fourth and played hard, reaching the Olympic quarterfinals before losing to P. V. Sindhu. Later that autumn, she won the Denmark Open and the French Open. She earned team silver medals at the Sudirman Cup and the Uber Cup.

Yamaguchi finished 2021 by capturing the biggest prize of her career. At the World Championships in Huelva, Spain, she reached the final. She defeated Tai Tzu-ying in two straight sets to become world champion. She was only the second Japanese women's singles player to ever win that crown.

Double World Champion and Historic All England Win

Yamaguchi had another legendary year of badminton action in 2022. In March, she won her first-ever title at the historic All England Open. She defeated South Korea's An Se-young in the final with amazing court control. She was the first Japanese women's singles winner there in many years.

In August 2022, the World Championships took place in Tokyo, Japan. Playing in front of her home crowd, Yamaguchi played brilliant badminton. She reached the final and defeated Chen Yufei in three exciting sets. She became the first Japanese player to ever win two world singles titles. She won the Japan Open and the year-end World Tour Finals against Tai. The BWF named her the BWF Female Player of the Year.

The 2023 Campaign and Bouncing Back

Yamaguchi carried her winning momentum directly into the 2023 badminton tour. She won five World Tour titles across the globe. She started by winning the Super 1000 Malaysia Open against An Se-young. She defended her title at the German Open soon after. She also captured titles at the Malaysia Masters, Canada Open, and Hong Kong Open.

She took bronze medals at the World Championships in Copenhagen and the Asian Championships. She helped Japan take bronze at the Sudirman Cup and the Asian Games. Unfortunately, she hurt her right foot tendon at the Asian Games in September. The injury was very painful and forced her to miss the rest of 2023.

Yamaguchi worked hard in therapy to recover from her foot injury. She returned to the court in early 2024, reaching the finals of two major events. She was runner-up at the French Open and the All England Open. A hip injury slowed her training for the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the Olympics, she reached the quarterfinals, losing a close match to gold medalist An Se-young. She rebounded by winning both the Japan Open and the Japan Masters at home.

Historic Third World Title and Recent Triumphs

Yamaguchi entered the 2025 season feeling healthy, strong, and confident. The highlight of her year arrived at the World Championships in Paris. Playing with speed and patience, she swept through the tournament draw. In the gold medal match, she dominated Chen Yufei by scores of 21–9 and 21–13. The victory gave Yamaguchi her third world singles championship. She made history as the very first Japanese badminton player to win three world titles.

She also captured two Super 500 trophies during the 2025 tour. She won the Korea Open by beating An Se-young. She followed that by winning the Arctic Open against Busanan Ongbamrungphan. She reached the semifinals of six different events, including the All England Open. She also won a team bronze medal for Japan at the Sudirman Cup.

During 2026, Yamaguchi showed incredible consistency on the world circuit. Between May and July, she reached six tournament finals in a row. She won the Super 500 Thailand Open against Chen Yufei. She then won the Australian Open against Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong. She captured the Super 1000 title at the China Open with another victory over Chen. At the World Championships in New Delhi, she earned the silver medal. She also helped Japan take silver at the 2026 Asian Games team event. In the singles event, she became the first Japanese finalist in 28 years, winning silver.

Great Rivalries on the Badminton Court

Throughout her career, Yamaguchi has played in classic matches against the world's best players. These rivalries have pushed her to improve her skills and entertain badminton fans worldwide.

An Se-young

Yamaguchi has an exciting rivalry with South Korea's champion, An Se-young. They have played against each other 38 times in top international tournaments. An leads their head-to-head match series with 23 wins to Yamaguchi's 15. Yamaguchi has beaten An in major finals like the 2022 All England Open and 2023 Malaysia Open. She also defeated An on the way to winning her world titles in 2021 and 2022. An has won matches against Yamaguchi too, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their matches are famous for long rallies, great retrieving, and smart tactical play.

Chen Yufei

Yamaguchi has a long rivalry with China's Olympic gold medalist, Chen Yufei. They have met on the court 38 times in intense international battles. Yamaguchi leads their head-to-head record with 24 victories compared to Chen's 14 wins. Their biggest matches happened in the finals of the World Championships. Yamaguchi defeated Chen to win the world title in Tokyo in 2022. She beat Chen again to win her historic third world crown in Paris in 2025. Chen has also scored big victories against Yamaguchi, including during the 2019 Sudirman Cup final.

Nozomi Okuhara

Yamaguchi shared a classic domestic rivalry with fellow Japanese star Nozomi Okuhara. They played each other 21 times, with Okuhara winning 12 of their matches. Their friendly rivalry began when they were teenagers playing in junior tournaments. Okuhara beat Yamaguchi in the final of the 2012 World Junior Championships. They also faced off in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Yamaguchi won big matches against Okuhara as well, including the 2019 Japan Open final. Their battles helped Japan become a world powerhouse in women's badminton.

Tai Tzu-ying

Yamaguchi had many thrilling matches against Chinese Taipei's star player, Tai Tzu-ying. Tai leads their head-to-head record with 13 wins to Yamaguchi's 11. Fans loved watching them play because their playing styles were completely different. Tai used magical trick shots, while Yamaguchi used amazing speed and endurance. Yamaguchi defeated Tai in the final of the 2021 World Championships to win her first title. She also beat Tai to win the 2022 World Tour Finals. Tai earned victories over Yamaguchi in finals like the 2018 All England Open.

How Akane Yamaguchi Plays Badminton

Yamaguchi is famous for her unique and exciting style of badminton play. Even though she is 1.56 meters tall, her small height never stops her. She is one of the fastest movers on any badminton court in the world. Chinese player Sun Yu once praised Yamaguchi for her patience and endless energy. Sun pointed out that Yamaguchi can return difficult shots that look completely impossible. Because she moves so quickly, opponents often get tired and make mistakes.

Another Chinese star, Wang Shixian, noted that Yamaguchi is extraordinarily nimble on her feet. Former Chinese national coach Li Yongbo explained that height does not limit badminton talent. Li praised Yamaguchi's deep patience, great control, and technical skill with the racquet. She stays calm during long rallies and waits for the perfect moment to strike. Her quick footwork and never-give-up attitude make her a true fan favorite everywhere.

Major Tournament Medals and Records

BWF World Championships Record

Year	Venue	Opponent in Final / Semifinal	Score	Result
2018	Nanjing, China	P. V. Sindhu	16–21, 22–24	Bronze
2021	Huelva, Spain	Tai Tzu-ying	21–14, 21–11	Gold (Champion)
2022	Tokyo, Japan	Chen Yufei	21–12, 10–21, 21–14	Gold (Champion)
2023	Copenhagen, Denmark	Carolina Marín	21–23, 13–21	Bronze
2025	Paris, France	Chen Yufei	21–9, 21–13	Gold (Champion)
2026	New Delhi, India	An Se-young	17–21, 14–21	Silver

Asian Games Record

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
2018	Jakarta, Indonesia	P. V. Sindhu	17–21, 21–15, 10–21	Bronze
2026	Ichinomiya, Japan	An Se-young	17–21, 9–21	Silver

Awards and Special Honors

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

Images for kids

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  Yamaguchi attending a reception for the Japanese Olympic team after the 2016 Summer Olympics.

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  Yamaguchi on the podium after winning her third world title in 2025.