Badminton Superstars Come to Japan

The Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open has been producing must-see badminton since 1982. Get a glimpse into this year’s tournament, the first in three years due to COVID-19-related cancellations.

*World rankings are accurate as of July 19.

Up-and-Comers Challenge Veterans’ Supremacy

Viktor AXELSEN (Denmark)

　The men’s singles event is a showcase of the best players in the world. Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Viktor AXELSEN of Denmark currently occupies the No. 1 spot in the BWF World Ranking, with Japanese ace Kento MOMOTA just behind him in second. The two men—both born in 1994—have been trading the top ranking for four years, since September 2018, and are the favorites to win this year’s Japan Open.

Having honed his attacks since the Olympics, Axelsen is seen as having a slight edge. Meanwhile, Momota has marked only one win on the World Tour over the past year, but his extraordinary versatility as a receiver is not to be overlooked. The cheers of the Osaka crowds may spur Momota to take down the world’s fiercest players, including his archrival Axelsen. If he wins, he will be only the second men’s singles player in Japan Open history to earn three consecutive victories.

Kento MOMOTA (Japan)

However, there are several up-and-comers looking to unseat Axelsen and Momota. LOH Kean Yew of Singapore, the 2021 World Champion, and Lakshya SEN, who led India to its first Thomas Cup victory in 2022, have been climbing up the leaderboard thanks to their nimble footwork, while Malaysian LEE Zii Jia, the 2021 All England Open champion, has been knocking out his competition with powerful smashes. Their youthful spirit is likely to provide a breath of fresh air to the tournament.

Other names to watch include Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Anthony Sinisuka GINTING of Indonesia, as well as the powerful shuttlers Anders ANTONSEN of Denmark and CHOU Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei.

A Free-for-All in Women’s Singles

Akane YAMAGUCHI (Japan)

　As of July 17, seven different women have been crowned victor at World Tour tournaments (Super 500 and up) over the past year, an indication of how the competition is evenly matched.

As the current title-holder, Akane YAMAGUCHI of Japan is slightly ahead of the field. Her sharp footwork and dynamic shots earned her victory at the 2021 World Championships and the 2022 All England Open, so a third win in her home country is certainly within reach.

AN Se Young (Korea)

Twenty-year-old AN Se Young of Korea is another player to watch. An has improved rapidly since the Tokyo Olympics, winning five World Tour tournaments over the past year. She has an impressive overhead unmarred by any quirks—a common trait among Korean players—and her rallies are simultaneously graceful and cutting. An has a good chance of leaving her mark with a first win in Japan.

Of course, the medalists from the Tokyo Olympics cannot be written off. Gold medalist CHEN Yu Fei of China, silver medalist TAI Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei, and bronze medalist PUSARLA V. Sindhu of India all have their own unique playing styles, and each has the makings of a champion. Then there is the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Spain’s Carolina MARIN, who was forced to sit out the 2019 Japan Open with a knee injury. With so many talented shuttlers, this year’s tournament is certain to be an exciting one.

Momentum for Hoki & Kobayashi in Men’s Doubles

HOKI / KOBAYASHI (Japan

When it comes to men’s doubles, all eyes are on Takuro HOKI and Yugo KOBAYASHI. After failing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, they redoubled their efforts and have since made great strides in receiving, which used to be their weakness, while simultaneously strengthening their offense. These efforts earned them victory at both the World Tour Finals and World Championships in 2021, which allowed the duo to establish themselves as a threat that cannot be overlooked.

GIDEON / SUKAMULJO (Indonesia)

In Osaka, Hoki and Kobayashi will face off against a number of rival teams from across Asia who excel at low shots. Indonesia’s Marcus Fernaldi GIDEON and Kevin Sanjaya SUKAMULJO, who hope their tricky play style will earn them a third consecutive title, and Olympic gold medalists LEE Yang and WANG Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei, with their powerful drives, are some teams for whom the title is within reach. Finally, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist LIU Yu Chen of China and his new partner, OU Xuan Yi, should not be underestimated despite their relatively low world ranking.

Three Women’s Doubles Teams from Japan Compete for Gold

Japan’s line-up is strongest in women’s doubles, with as many as three teams having a good shot at the title: 2020 Olympians Mayu MATSUMOTO and Wakana NAGAHARA, the world’s tallest pair; Yuki FUKUSHIMA and Sayaka HIROTA, who also represented Japan at the Tokyo Olympics and are looking to display their usual rhythm with Hirota having made a full recovery from injury; and newcomers Chiharu SHIDA and Nami MATSUYAMA, this year’s All England champions.

Shida and Matsuyama have been playing together since 2014 and have worked their way up to 5th in the world thanks to their quick combinations and fast attacks. They already have a fantastic record, but they still maintain the freshness of a new challenger. A win at the Japan Open would catapult them to fame across Japan.

However, the road to the top is steep. Standing in their way will be CHEN Qing Chen and JIA Yi Fan of China, who are known for their surging attacks from the front and the rear, in addition to two tenacious teams from Korea: LEE So Hee and SHIN Seung Chan as well as KIM So Yeong and KONG Hee Yong.

Watanabe and Higashino Look for Their First Japan Open Title

WATANABE / HIGASHINO(Japan)

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalists lead the pack in the mixed doubles event. The Olympic final was a showdown between two Chinese teams, with WANG Yi Lyu and HUANG Dong Ping holding off ZHENG Si Wei and HUANG Ya Qiong for the gold medal, despite having lost to the latter 12 times in their last 14 face-offs. Meanwhile, Japan’s Yuta WATANABE and Arisa HIGASHINO took home the bronze. The three teams will once again play in a heated competition that is sure to be reminiscent of the Olympics.

However, other teams are very much still in contention. In particular, Dechapol PUAVARANUKROH and Sapsiree TAERATTANACHAI of Thailand have been impressive on the World Tour, winning four titles in the second half of 2021 thanks to their ability to keep the pace fast and frenetic.