Ayaka Takahashi
Ayaka Takahashi (高橋 礼華, Takahashi Ayaka, born 19 April 1990) 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.[2]
Playing for the Unisys team with her regular partner Misaki Matsutomo in the women's doubles, she won five National Championships titles.[3] In the international event, Takahashi and Matsutomo were ranked world number ones in October 2014.[4] 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.[2][5] The duo won the Badminton World Federation's Female Player of the Year award in 2016.[6]
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.[5][7]
Career
[edit]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.[8] She and her women's doubles partner Matsutomo also honored with the Female Player of the Year award.[6] 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.[1][9]
Personal life
[edit]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.[10]
Achievements
[edit]Olympic Games
[edit]Women's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 18–21, 21–9, 21–19 | ![]() |
BWF World Championships
[edit]Women's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 17–21, 15–21 | ![]() |
Asian Games
[edit]Women's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 15–21, 9–21 | ![]() |
2018 | Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 20–22, 20–22 | ![]() |
Asian Championships
[edit]Women's doubles
Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 | ![]() |
2016 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–13, 21–15 | ![]() |
2017 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–19, 16–21, 21–10 | ![]() |
2018 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 | ![]() |
BWF World Tour (6 titles, 6 runners-up)
[edit]The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[11] 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.[12]
Women's doubles
Year | Tournament | Level | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Indonesia Masters | Super 500 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–17, 21–12 | ![]() |
2018 | Malaysia Open | Super 750 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–12, 21–12 | ![]() |
2018 | Thailand Open | Super 500 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 13–21, 10–21 | ![]() |
2018 | China Open | Super 1000 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–16, 21–12 | ![]() |
2018 | Korea Open | Super 500 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–11, 21–18 | ![]() |
2018 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–12, 22–20 | ![]() |
2019 | Indonesia Masters | Super 500 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–19, 21–15 | ![]() |
2019 | German Open | Super 300 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 20–22, 15–21 | ![]() |
2019 | New Zealand Open | Super 300 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 15–21, 18–21 | ![]() |
2019 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 16–21, 18–21 | ![]() |
2019 | China Open | Super 1000 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 14–21, 18–21 | ![]() |
2019 | Korea Masters | Super 300 | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–15, 17–21, 18–21 | ![]() |
BWF Superseries (9 titles, 13 runners-up)
[edit]The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[13] 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.[14] 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Denmark Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 8–21, 12–21 | ![]() |
2013 | Malaysia Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 16–21, 14–21 | ![]() |
2013 | Singapore Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 19–21, 16–21 | ![]() |
2014 | Malaysia Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 19–21, 21–14, 13–21 | ![]() |
2014 | Japan Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–13, 21–17 | ![]() |
2014 | Australian Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 15–21, 9–21 | ![]() |
2014 | Denmark Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 14–21, 14–21 | ![]() |
2014 | Hong Kong Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 13–21, 13–21 | ![]() |
2014 | Dubai World Superseries Finals | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–17, 21–14 | ![]() |
2015 | India Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–19, 21–19 | ![]() |
2015 | Singapore Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 17–21, 16–21 | ![]() |
2015 | China Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–18, 13–21, 12–21 | ![]() |
2016 | All England Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–10, 21–12 | ![]() |
2016 | India Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–18, 21–18 | ![]() |
2016 | Singapore Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | Walkover | ![]() |
2016 | Indonesia Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–15, 8–21, 21–15 | ![]() |
2016 | Japan Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–19, 18–21, 12–21 | ![]() |
2016 | Denmark Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 19–21, 21–11, 21–16 | ![]() |
2016 | Dubai World Superseries Finals | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 15–21, 21–13, 17–21 | ![]() |
2017 | Singapore Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 18–21, 21–14, 15–21 | ![]() |
2017 | Australian Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–10, 21–13 | ![]() |
2017 | Japan Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–18, 21–16 | ![]() |
- BWF Superseries Finals tournament
- BWF Superseries Premier tournament
- BWF Superseries tournament
BWF Grand Prix (7 titles, 1 runner-up)
[edit]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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | India Grand Prix | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–14, 15–21, 21–15 | ![]() |
2011 | Russian Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 20–22, 18–21 | ![]() |
2012 | U.S. Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–19, 21–17 | ![]() |
2012 | Canada Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–15, 15–21, 21–12 | ![]() |
2012 | Indonesia Grand Prix Gold | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–12, 12–21, 21–13 | ![]() |
2014 | German Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 23–21, 24–22 | ![]() |
2016 | Malaysia Masters | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–18, 22–20 | ![]() |
Mixed doubles
Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Canada Open | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–14, 21–16 | ![]() |
- BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
- BWF Grand Prix tournament
BWF International Challenge/Series (5 titles, 2 runners-up)
[edit]Women's singles
Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Waikato International | ![]() | 21–11, 17–21, 28–26 | ![]() |
Women's doubles
Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Smiling Fish International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 15–21, 20–22 | ![]() |
2008 | Waikato International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–18, 21–19 | ![]() |
2008 | North Shore City International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–9, 21–15 | ![]() |
2009 | Osaka International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–16, 16–21, 24–22 | ![]() |
2009 | Belgian International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 21–8, 18–21, 21–13 | ![]() |
2010 | Osaka International | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 19–21, 16–21 | ![]() |
- BWF International Challenge tournament
- BWF International Series tournament
Performance timeline
[edit]National team
[edit]- Senior level
Team events | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia Team Championships | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | A | |||
Asia Mixed Team Championships | — | ![]() | — | A | — | ||||
Asian Games | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | ||||
Uber Cup | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | |
Sudirman Cup | — | QF | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — |
Individual competitions
[edit]- Senior level
Events | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asian Championships | R1 | A | R1 | A | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | R1 |
Asian Games | — | ![]() | — | ![]() | — | ||||
World Championships | R3 | — | R2 | R3 | R3 | — | ![]() | R3 | QF |
Olympic Games | — | A | — | ![]() | — |
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|
BWF World Tour | ||||
![]() | QF | SF | QF | W (2016) |
![]() | W | W | SF | W (2012, 2018, 2019) |
![]() | w/d | F | — | W (2014) |
![]() | QF | R1 | SF | W (2016) |
![]() | A | R2 | Ret | F (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) |
![]() | A | SF | W (2017) | |
![]() | W | QF | W (2018) | |
![]() | W | F | W (2018) | |
![]() | R2 | SF | W (2014, 2017) | |
![]() | R2 | R1 | W (2016) | |
![]() | QF | R2 | SF (2016) | |
![]() | A | F | F (2019) | |
![]() | SF | R2 | SF (2018) | |
![]() | QF | QF | F (2017) | |
![]() | SF | F | W (2016) | |
![]() | R1 | A | W (2009) | |
![]() | W | R2 | W (2018) | |
![]() | A | F | F (2019) | |
![]() | A | W (2015, 2016) | ||
![]() | F | QF | F (2018) | |
BWF World Tour Finals | W | DNQ | W (2014, 2018) | |
Year-end Ranking | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
Tournament | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Best |
Tournament | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BWF Superseries | |||||||||||
![]() | A | R1 (WD) | R2 (WD) | R2 (WD) | R1 (WD) | SF | R1 | W | R2 | W (2016) | |
![]() | A | R1 (WD) R1 (XD) | GPG | R2 (2011, 2012) | |||||||
![]() | GPG | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | QF (WD) | SF (WD) | QF | W | W | A | W (2015, 2016) | ||
![]() | A | R1 (WD) R1 (XD) | R2 (WD) | A | F (WD) | F | R1 | QF | SF | F (2013, 2014) | |
![]() | A | R1 (WD) | R2 (WD) | R2 (WD) | F (WD) | SF | F | F | F | F (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) | |
![]() | IS | GP/GPG | F | SF | QF | W | W (2017) | ||||
![]() | A | R1 (WD) | R1 (WD) R1 (XD) | A | QF (WD) | R2 | R2 | W | R1 | W (2016) | |
![]() | R2 (WD) | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | R2 (WD) | R1 (WD) | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | SF (WD) QF (XD) | W | R2 | F | W | W (2014, 2017) |
![]() | A | QF (WD) R2 (XD) | QF (WD) | QF (WD) | QF (WD) | SF | F | R2 | QF | F (2015) | |
![]() | A | QF (WD) R1 (XD) | R2 (WD) | A | QF (WD) | QF | w/d | A | SF | SF (2017) | |
![]() | A | R2 (WD) | QF (WD) | F (WD) | SF (WD) | F | R2 | W | R2 | W (2016) | |
![]() | A | R1 (WD) | QF (WD) | QF (WD) | QF | R2 | SF | QF | SF (2016) | ||
![]() | A | R1 (WS) R1 (WD) | A | R1 (WD) R2 (XD) | A | QF (WD) R1 (XD) | GPG | QF (2013) | |||
![]() | A | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | QF (WD) | SF (WD) | F | QF | QF | R1 | F (2017) | ||
BWF Super Series Finals | DNQ | GS (WD) | GS (WD) | W | SF | F | DNQ | W (2014) | |||
Year-end Ranking | 172 (WS) 41 (WD) 138 (XD) | 21 (WD) 70 (XD) | 17 (WD) 52 (XD) | 7 (WD) 119 (XD) | 4 (WD) 216 (XD) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 (WD) | |
Tournament | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Best |
Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold | ||||||||||
![]() | A | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | R1 (WD) | A | W | A | W (2016) | |||
![]() | R1 (WS) W (WD) | A | — | A | W (2009) | |||||
![]() | A | R2 (WD) R2 (XD) | QF (WD) | SF (WD) | W | R2 | SF | A | W (2014) | |
![]() | SS | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | R2 (WD) R1 (XD) | A | R2 (2011, 2012) | |||||
![]() | R1 (WS) R2 (WD) | A | SS | R2 (2009) | ||||||
![]() | R1 (WS) QF (WD) | — | A | — | A | QF (2009) | ||||
![]() | A | R1 (WD) | A | R1 (2010) | ||||||
![]() | A | QF (WD) SF (XD) | QF (WD) R2 (XD) | QF (WD) R1 (XD) | A | SS | SF (2010) | |||
![]() | R1 (WD) | A | SF | A | SF (2015) | |||||
![]() | A | F (WD) | A | F (2011) | ||||||
![]() | A | R1 (WD) R1 (XD) | W (WD) QF (XD) | A | W (2012) | |||||
![]() | — | A | W (WD) W (XD) | A | W (2012 (WD), 2012 (WD)) | |||||
![]() | — | A | W (WD) | A | — | W (2012) | ||||
Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Best |
Record against selected opponents
[edit]Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.[15]
Misaki Matsutomo
[edit]
|
|
References
[edit]- ^ a b "日本ユニシス実業団バドミントン部 髙橋礼華選手の現役引退、松友美佐紀選手の現役続行のお知らせ" (PDF). www.unisys.co.jp (in Japanese). 19 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ a b "選手・スタッフ紹介: 高橋 礼華 Ayaka Takahashi". www.unisys.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ "「平成28年度第70回全日本総合バドミントン選手権大会」 女子ダブルス高橋礼華・松友美佐紀組 優勝!". www.unisys.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "日本代表ナショナルチーム女子ダブルス高橋&松友ペア 日本勢初の快挙、世界ランキング1位に!!". www.yonex.co.jp (in Japanese). 31 October 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ a b Sukumar, Dev (26 August 2020). "Genius in Action: Ayaka Takahashi". bwfbadminton.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Lee, Matsutomo/Takahashi Win Best Player Awards". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ "髙橋礼華 Ayaka Takahashi". s-rights.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "Matsutomo, Takahashi claim Japan's first-ever Olympic badminton gold". www.japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ "Olympic badminton gold medalist Ayaka Takahashi retires due to lack of fire". www.japantimes.co.jp. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "リオ金の高橋礼華さん結婚、松友とペアの金子祐樹と". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 30 December 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
- ^ "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". IBadmintonstore. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "Ayaka Takahashi's Profile – Head To Head". bwfbadminton.com. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Ayaka Takahashi at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com
- Ayaka Takahashi at BWFbadminton.com
- Ayaka Takahashi at Olympedia
- Ayaka Takahashi at Olympics.com