Sayaka Takahashi

2012–2014

Takahashi began her international career in 2012 by claiming four titles on the BWF International Challenge and Series circuits, winning the Austrian, Osaka, Maldives, and Scottish International tournaments.^{[9][10][11][12]} That same year, she reached her first Grand Prix-level final at the Malaysia Open, where she finished runner-up to Busanan Ongbamrungphan.^[13] She later reached the final of the Canada Open, finishing runner-up to Nozomi Okuhara.^[14]

In April 2013, Takahashi won her first Grand Prix Gold title at the Australian Open, defeating Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol in the final.^[15] Later that month, she secured a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Taipei, where she lost to world number one Li Xuerui in the semifinals.^[16] By November 2013, Takahashi had risen to world number 13, making her the highest-ranked Japanese women's singles player at the time.^[17]

In March 2014, Takahashi won the German Open, defeating top seed Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea in the final.^[18] The following month, she won her second consecutive bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Gimcheon, South Korea, after losing to Sung in the semifinals.^[19] In May, Takahashi was part of the Japanese team that finished runner-up at the Uber Cup in New Delhi. She played the second singles match in the final against China, losing to Wang Shixian.^[20] At the Asian Games in Incheon later that year, she was part of the Japanese women's team that won a bronze medal.^[21] In the Asian Games individual women's singles event, Takahashi was eliminated in the first round by Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei.^[22]

2015–2017

In early 2015, Takahashi won the Portugal International and Osaka International.^[23][24] In October, she suffered a right knee injury while attempting to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.^[25][26] The injury sidelined her from international competition for 11 months, ending her attempt to qualify for the Olympics.^[27][26] During her rehabilitation, Takahashi watched her older sister Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo win Japan's first Olympic gold medal in badminton in the women's doubles event.^[26] Takahashi later revealed that she had been close to quitting the sport, but was encouraged to continue by her sister's Olympic success and her encouragement for them to play and win together.^[28]

Takahashi returned to international competition in September 2016 at the Japan Open, progressing from the qualifying rounds to the quarterfinals before losing to China's Sun Yu.^[27][29] During the tournament, Takahashi said that she wanted to establish her own identity as a player rather than simply being known as Ayaka Takahashi's younger sister.^[27] In November, she won the Malaysia International, her first international title since returning from injury.^[30] She also reached the quarterfinals of the All Japan Championships in December.^[31]

In 2017, Takahashi won the Portugal International and Osaka International.^[32][33] In September, she won the Vietnam Open, defeating home favourite Vũ Thị Trang in the final.^[34]

2018–2020

In February 2018, Takahashi won her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Super 300 Swiss Open, defeating compatriot Natsuki Nidaira.^[35] In May, she claimed another Super 300 title at the New Zealand Open, defeating China's Zhang Yiman in the final.^[36] Later that month, Takahashi was part of the Japanese team that won the Uber Cup in Bangkok, Japan's first title in the competition since 1981.^[37]

In June, Takahashi finished runner-up at the Canada Open, losing to 2012 Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China.^[38] The following month, she won her first Super 500 title at the Singapore Open, defeating China's Gao Fangjie in the final.^[28][39] Later that month, Takahashi won the inaugural Akita Masters, defeating compatriot Mako Urushizaki.^[40] The victory was her fourth World Tour title of the season.

In February 2019, Takahashi reached a career-high world ranking of No. 10. In September, she reached the semifinals of the China Open, defeating sixth seed Ratchanok Intanon in the quarterfinals before losing to reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marín.^[41]

In February 2020, Takahashi helped Japan retain the women's team title at the Asian Team Championships in Manila, defeating Sung Ji-hyun in the second singles match to secure Japan's victory over South Korea in the final.^[42] Later in 2020, Takahashi suffered a severe lower back injury that threatened to derail her career. She later said that she had considered quitting badminton during the difficult period and that it took around four months to recover.^[43]

2021–2023

Takahashi returned to represent Japan at the Sudirman Cup in September 2021, helping the team win a silver medal despite being only 90 percent fit.^[43][44] The following week, Takahashi captained the Japanese women's team at the postponed Uber Cup in Aarhus, Denmark, where Japan finished runner-up to China.^[45] Later in October, Takahashi reached her first Super 750 final at the French Open, defeating P. V. Sindhu in the semifinals.^[46] She finished runner-up after losing the final to compatriot Akane Yamaguchi.^[47]

In March 2022, Takahashi reached the quarterfinals of the All England Open after defeating world No. 7 P. V. Sindhu in the second round.^[48] In May, she captained the Japanese women's team at the Uber Cup in Bangkok, where Japan won a bronze medal.^[49][50] In June, Takahashi suffered a right calf muscle tear during the Indonesia Open, forcing her to retire from her second-round match. The injury kept her out of competition for two months before she returned at the World Championships in Tokyo in August.^[51] In her opening match, Takahashi defeated South Korea's Kim Ga-eun in three games after receiving encouragement from her sister Ayaka.^[51] She was eliminated in the third round by eventual champion Akane Yamaguchi.^[52] Following the Japan Open, Takahashi announced on 20 September that she was withdrawing from the Japanese national team, citing her repeated struggles with injuries and a feeling that she had accomplished what she had set out to do.^[52][53]

Takahashi continued to compete domestically for her corporate team, BIPROGY, in the S/J League. The league's final stage in February 2023 marked the end of her competitive career.^[54] On 3 April, BIPROGY announced that Takahashi had retired and left the company effective 31 March 2023.^[55]

Asian Championships

Women's singles

More information Year, Venue ...

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2013	Taipei Arena, Taipei, Taiwan	Li Xuerui	18–21, 21–18, 12–21	Bronze	[16]
2014	Gimcheon Indoor Stadium, Gimcheon, South Korea	Sung Ji-hyun	21–23, 13–21	Bronze	[19]

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BWF World Tour (4 titles, 2 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,^[56] 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.^[57]

Women's singles

More information Year, Tournament ...

Year	Tournament	Level	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2018	Swiss Open	Super 300	Natsuki Nidaira	21–12, 21–18	Winner	[35]
2018	New Zealand Open	Super 300	Zhang Yiman	21–13, 21–14	Winner	[36]
2018	Canada Open	Super 100	Li Xuerui	20–22, 21–15, 17–21	Runner-up	[38]
2018	Singapore Open	Super 500	Gao Fangjie	25–23, 21–14	Winner	[28]
2018	Akita Masters	Super 100	Mako Urushizaki	21–11, 13–21, 21–18	Winner	[40]
2021	French Open	Super 750	Akane Yamaguchi	18–21, 12–21	Runner-up	[47]

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BWF Grand Prix (3 titles, 3 runners-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 singles

More information Year, Tournament ...

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2012	Malaysia Grand Prix Gold	Busanan Ongbamrungphan	17–21, 20–22	Runner-up	[13]
2012	Canada Open	Nozomi Okuhara	8–21, 16–21	Runner-up	[14]
2013	Australian Open	Nitchaon Jindapol	24–22, 21–10	Winner	[15]
2014	German Open	Sung Ji-hyun	21–17, 8–21, 21–12	Winner	[18]
2015	Malaysia Masters	Nozomi Okuhara	13–21, 17–21	Runner-up	[58]
2017	Vietnam Open	Vũ Thị Trang	21–9, 21–14	Winner	[34]

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  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament

  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles)

Women's singles

More information Year, Tournament ...

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2012	Austrian International	Chan Tsz Ka	21–17, 21–9	Winner	[9]
2012	Osaka International	Yui Hashimoto	22–20, 21–19	Winner	[10]
2012	Maldives International	Yu Wakita	21–17, 21–16	Winner	[11]
2012	Scottish International	Kim Hyo-min	21–6, 21–8	Winner	[12]
2015	Portugal International	Aya Ohori	21–13, 21–14	Winner	[23]
2015	Osaka International	Sayaka Sato	21–11, 15–21, 29–27	Winner	[24]
2016	Malaysia International	Ho Yen Mei	21–17, 21–11	Winner	[30]
2017	Portugal International	Chisato Hoshi	21–10, 21–15	Winner	[32]
2017	Osaka International	Lee Jang-mi	21–16, 21–18	Winner	[33]

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  BWF International Challenge tournament

  BWF International Series tournament