Akane Yamaguchi has been a badminton prodigy from a young age. She first picked up a racquet at three and began serious training by five. At just 15, she became the youngest player to join the Japanese national team. A year later, in 2013, she made history by winning the YONEX Open Japan, becoming both the youngest and the first Japanese athlete to claim the title.
Her rise continued with victories at prestigious tournaments, including the YONEX Denmark Open, where she defeated Olympic champion Carolina Marin. In 2018, she achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first Japanese player to reach the world No. 1 ranking.
Akane has continued to dominate the badminton world, securing multiple BWF World Championships titles and other major wins. In 2024, she further cemented her legacy by winning the Kumamoto Masters Japan, Japan Open, and playing a crucial role in Japan’s victory at the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals. With her incredible speed, agility, and determination, she remains one of the top contenders on the world stage, inspiring a new generation of Japanese badminton stars.
