is a retired Japanese badminton player who was affiliated with Unisys badminton team. She is an Olympic Games gold medalist, two-time Asian Champion, two-time Asian Games silver medalist, and World Championship bronze medalist.
Playing for the Unisys team with her regular partner Misaki Matsutomo in the women's doubles, she won five National Championships titles. In the international event, Takahashi and Matsutomo were ranked world number ones in October 2014. They won numerous international titles, including the year-end tournament finals in 2014 and 2018; the historical All England Open in 2016; the Olympic Games in 2016; and also the Asian Championships in 2016 and 2017. The duo won the Badminton World Federation's Female Player of the Year award in 2016.
Takahashi was also a member of the victorious Japanese team at the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships and of the victorious women's team at the 2018 Asia Team Championships, 2018 Asian Games, and the 2018 Uber Cup.
Career In 2016, Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo won the women's doubles gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the first ever Japan's to win an Olympic badminton gold medal. She and her women's doubles partner Matsutomo also honored with the Female Player of the Year award. They are playing together for more than ten years, ever since they were schoolmates. Takahashi and Matsutomo became the first pair from outside China to win the women's Olympic doubles title since the 1996 Atlanta Games, giving Japan its second medal in the event after Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa took silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Takahashi announced her retirement in an online conference on 19 August 2020, and officially left the national and Unisys team at the end of August.
Personal life Takahashi is the older sister of Sayaka Takahashi, a singles badminton player. In 2020, Ayaka announced that she had married Yuki Kaneko, a teammate in both the Japanese national and Unisys teams. Kaneko is also Matsutomo's mixed doubles partner. Takahashi announced the birth of her first child, a daughter, on her Instagram on 23 February 2022.
Awards and nominations +AwardYearCategoryResultBWF Awards2016Female Player of the Year with Misaki MatsutomoMedal with Purple Ribbon awarded by the Emperor of Japan2016Individual Sports with Misaki MatsutomoNara Prefectural Honour Award2016Athletes
Achievements
Olympic Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2016 Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Misaki Matsutomo Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 18–21, 21–9, 21–19 Gold
World Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2017 Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland Misaki Matsutomo Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 17–21, 15–21 Bronze
Asian Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2014 Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Misaki Matsutomo Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Greysia Polii 15–21, 9–21 Silver 2018 Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia Misaki Matsutomo Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 20–22, 20–22 Silver
Asian Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2015 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China Misaki Matsutomo Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 Bronze 2016 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China Misaki Matsutomo Naoko Fukuman Kurumi Yonao 21–13, 21–15 Gold 2017 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China Misaki Matsutomo Kim Hye-rin Yoo Hae-won 21–19, 16–21, 21–10 Gold 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China Misaki Matsutomo Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 Silver
BWF World Tour (6 titles, 6 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, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.
Women's doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2018 Indonesia Masters Super 500 Misaki Matsutomo Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu 21–17, 21–12 Winner 2018 Malaysia Open Super 750 Misaki Matsutomo Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 21–12, 21–12 Winner 2018 Thailand Open Super 500 Misaki Matsutomo Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu 13–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2018 China Open Super 1000 Misaki Matsutomo Mayu Matsumoto Wakana Nagahara 21–16, 21–12 Winner 2018 Korea Open Super 500 Misaki Matsutomo Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 21–11, 21–18 Winner 2018 BWF World Tour Finals World Tour Finals Misaki Matsutomo Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan 21–12, 22–20 Winner 2019 Indonesia Masters Super 500 Misaki Matsutomo Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong 21–19, 21–15 Winner 2019 German Open Super 300 Misaki Matsutomo Du Yue Li Yinhui 20–22, 15–21 Runner-up 2019 New Zealand Open Super 300 Misaki Matsutomo Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong 15–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 Indonesia Open Super 1000 Misaki Matsutomo Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 16–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 China Open Super 1000 Misaki Matsutomo Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 14–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 Korea Masters Super 300 Misaki Matsutomo Nami Matsuyama Chiharu Shida 21–15, 17–21, 18–21 Runner-up
BWF Superseries (9 titles, 13 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 Badminton World Federation (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 doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2012 Denmark Open Misaki Matsutomo Ma Jin Tang Jinhua 8–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2013 Malaysia Open Misaki Matsutomo Bao Yixin Tian Qing 16–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2013 Singapore Open Misaki Matsutomo Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 19–21, 16–21 Runner-up 2014 Malaysia Open Misaki Matsutomo Bao Yixin Tang Jinhua 19–21, 21–14, 13–21 Runner-up 2014 Japan Open Misaki Matsutomo Reika Kakiiwa Miyuki Maeda 21–13, 21–17 Winner 2014 Australian Open Misaki Matsutomo Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 15–21, 9–21 Runner-up 2014 Denmark Open Misaki Matsutomo Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang 14–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2014 Hong Kong Open Misaki Matsutomo Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 13–21, 13–21 Runner-up 2014 Dubai World Superseries Finals Misaki Matsutomo Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 21–17, 21–14 Winner 2015 India Open Misaki Matsutomo Luo Ying Luo Yu 21–19, 21–19 Winner 2015 Singapore Open Misaki Matsutomo Ou Dongni Yu Xiaohan 17–21, 16–21 Runner-up 2015 China Open Misaki Matsutomo Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–18, 13–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2016 All England Open Misaki Matsutomo Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–10, 21–12 Winner 2016 India Open Misaki Matsutomo Naoko Fukuman Kurumi Yonao 21–18, 21–18 Winner 2016 Singapore Open Misaki Matsutomo Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Greysia Polii Walkover Runner-up 2016 Indonesia Open Misaki Matsutomo Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–15, 8–21, 21–15 Winner 2016 Japan Open Misaki Matsutomo Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 21–19, 18–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2016 Denmark Open Misaki Matsutomo Jung Kyung-eun Shin Seung-chan 19–21, 21–11, 21–16 Winner 2016 Dubai World Superseries Finals Misaki Matsutomo Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 15–21, 21–13, 17–21 Runner-up 2017 Singapore Open Misaki Matsutomo Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 18–21, 21–14, 15–21 Runner-up 2017 Australian Open Misaki Matsutomo Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 21–10, 21–13 Winner 2017 Japan Open Misaki Matsutomo Kim Ha-na Kong Hee-yong 21–18, 21–16 Winner BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries Premier tournament BWF Superseries tournament
BWF Grand Prix (7 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 Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.
Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2009 India Grand Prix Misaki Matsutomo Nadya Melati Devi Tika Permatasari 21–14, 15–21, 21–15 Winner 2011 Russian Open Misaki Matsutomo Valeri Sorokina Nina Vislova 20–22, 18–21 Runner-up 2012 U.S. Open Misaki Matsutomo Valeri Sorokina Nina Vislova 21–19, 21–17 Winner 2012 Canada Open Misaki Matsutomo Yuriko Miki Koharu Yonemoto 21–15, 15–21, 21–12 Winner 2012 Indonesia Grand Prix Gold Misaki Matsutomo Eom Hye-won Jang Ye-na 21–12, 12–21, 21–13 Winner 2014 German Open Misaki Matsutomo Jung Kyung-eun Kim Ha-na 23–21, 24–22 Winner 2016 Malaysia Masters Misaki Matsutomo Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–18, 22–20 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2012 Canada Open Ryota Taohata Takeshi Kamura Koharu Yonemoto 21–14, 21–16 Winner BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF Grand Prix tournament
BWF International Challenge/Series (5 titles, 2 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result Ref 2008 Waikato International Sayaka Sato 21–11, 17–21, 28–26 Winner
Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2008 Smiling Fish International Koharu Yonemoto Megumi Taruno Oku Yukina 15–21, 20–22 Runner-up 2008 Waikato International Koharu Yonemoto Renee Flavell Rachel Hindley 21–18, 21–19 Winner 2008 North Shore City International Koharu Yonemoto Renee Flavell Rachel Hindley 21–9, 21–15 Winner 2009 Osaka International Misaki Matsutomo Kaori Mori Aya Wakisaka 21–16, 16–21, 24–22 Winner 2009 Belgian International Misaki Matsutomo Emma Mason Samantha Ward 21–8, 18–21, 21–13 Winner 2010 Osaka International Misaki Matsutomo Mizuki Fujii Reika Kakiiwa 19–21, 16–21 Runner-up BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series tournament
Performance timeline
National team Senior level Team events 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Asia Team Championships colspan="4" Silver Gold A Asia Mixed Team Championships colspan="5" Gold A Asian Games colspan="2" Bronze colspan="3" Gold colspan="2" Uber Cup Bronze Silver Bronze Gold colspan=2 Sudirman Cup QF Silver Bronze Silver
Individual competitions Senior level Events 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Asian Championships R1 A R1 A Bronze Gold Gold Silver R1 Asian Games colspan="3" Silver colspan="3" Silver World Championships R3 R2 R3 R3 Bronze R3 QF Olympic Games A colspan="3" Gold colspan="3"
Tournament 2018 2019 2020 Best BWF World Tour Malaysia Masters QF SF QF W (2016) Indonesia Masters W W SF W (2012, 2018, 2019) German Open F W (2014) All England Open QF R1 SF W (2016) Singapore Open A R2 Ret F (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) Australian Open A SF W (2017) Korea Open W QF W (2018) China Open W F W (2018) Japan Open R2 SF W (2014, 2017) Denmark Open R2 R1 W (2016) French Open QF R2 SF (2016) New Zealand Open A F F (2019) Fuzhou China Open SF R2 SF (2018) Hong Kong Open QF QF F (2017) Indonesia Open SF F W (2016) Syed Modi International R1 A W (2009) Malaysia Open W R2 W (2018) Korea Masters A F F (2019) India Open A W (2015, 2016) Thailand Open F QF F (2018) BWF World Tour Finals W W (2014, 2018) Year-end Ranking 2 4 7 1 Tournament 2018 2019 2020 Best