Ayako Sakuramoto

Ayako Sakuramoto
Personal information
Born (1995-08-19) August 19, 1995
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Sport
CountryJapan
SportBadminton
HandednessLeft
Coached byAkihiro Imai
Women's doubles
Highest ranking9 (with Yukiko Takahata, 5 February 2019)
Current ranking40 (with Sayaka Hirota, 4 August 2026)
BWF profile
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
Uber Cup
Bronze medal – third place2024 ChengduWomen's team
Asia Mixed Team Championships
Silver medal – second place2019 Hong KongMixed team
Bronze medal – third place2025 QingdaoMixed team
Asia Team Championships
Bronze medal – third place2024 SelangorWomen's team
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2012 ChibaMixed team
Asia Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place2012 GimcheonMixed team
Bronze medal – third place2011 LucknowGirls' doubles
Bronze medal – third place2013 Kota KinabaluMixed team

Ayako Sakuramoto (櫻本 絢子, Sakuramoto Ayako; born August 19, 1995) is a Japanese badminton player.[1] She currently plays for Gifu Bluvic, having previously spent over a decade as a member of the Yonex team.[2] She specializes in women's doubles and has achieved success in numerous tournaments. These include the Asian Junior Championships, BWF World Tour, BWF Grand Prix, and BWF International Challenge/Series. Sakuramoto frequently partners with Yukiko Takahata and Rena Miyaura, with whom she has won multiple titles and medals.

Career

Sakuramoto who educated at the Kyushu International University High School, won the girls' doubles bronze medal at the 2011 Asian Junior Badminton Championships.[3] She also won 2012 gold and 2013 bronze in the mixed team event.[4][5] In 2017, she became the women's doubles runner-up at the Osaka International tournament partnered with Yukiko Takahata.[6] She won her first senior international title at the Spanish International tournament with Takahata.[7]

2021–2022

In 2021, Sakuramoto formed a partnership with Mayu Matsumoto, reaching the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Open.[8] In April 2022, partnering with Hinata Suzuki, she was the runner-up at the Mexican International, losing a three-game final to compatriots Rui Hirokami and Yuna Kato.[9] Later that year, she formed a new partnership with Rena Miyaura. The pair won the Canada Open in September, defeating Hirokami and Kato in straight games.[10] In October, they reached the final of the Indonesia Masters Super 100, finishing as runners-up to Hirokami and Kato.[11]

2023

Continuing her partnership with Miyaura, Sakuramoto helped Japan reach the quarter-finals of the Asia Mixed Team Championships. On the World Tour, the duo claimed two Super 300 titles: the Swiss Open in March, following a walkover in the final against Yuki Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota, and the Orléans Masters in April by defeating Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning.[12][13] The pair also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, China Open, and Japan Masters.

2024

Sakuramoto and Miyaura advanced to the semi-finals of the All England Open, after defeating the Malaysian pair of Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan in the quarter-finals.[14] In team events, Sakuramoto helped the Japanese women's squad win bronze medals at both the Asia Team Championships in February and the Uber Cup in April. Towards the end of the year, she formed a new partnership with Arisa Igarashi, reaching the second round at both the Japan Masters and the China Masters.

2025

Sakuramoto and Igarashi won the India Open in January, defeating Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong after having played together for four and a half months.[15] In February, she contributed to Japan's bronze medal at the Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao.[16] Later that year, Sakuramoto partnered with Mei Sudo, reaching the semi-finals at the Thailand International Series and the Thailand International Challenge in August.[17][18]

2026

Sakuramoto began competing with Sayaka Hirota, and the pair reached the quarter-finals of the All England Open in March.[19] On 1 April, Sakuramoto transferred to the Gifu Bluvic badminton team, concluding a 12-year tenure with Yonex. She cited the opportunity to partner with Hirota as her primary motivation for the move.[2] Later in the year, the duo advanced to the final of the Super 500 Malaysia Masters, where they finished as runners-up to Chen Fanshutian and Luo Xumin.[20]

Achievements

Asian Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2011 Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium,
Lucknow, India		 Japan Ayano Torii Indonesia Suci Rizky Andini
Indonesia Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah		 15–21, 15–21 Bronze Bronze [21]

BWF World Tour (12 titles, 3 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[22] 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, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[23]

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2018 Swiss Open Super 300 Japan Yukiko Takahata Bulgaria Gabriela Stoeva
Bulgaria Stefani Stoeva		 19–21, 21–15, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [24]
2018 New Zealand Open Super 300 Japan Yukiko Takahata China Cao Tongwei
China Zheng Yu		 21–9, 21–19 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [25]
2018 Australian Open Super 300 Japan Yukiko Takahata South Korea Baek Ha-na
South Korea Lee Yu-lim		 23–21, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [26]
2018 Canada Open Super 100 Japan Yukiko Takahata Germany Isabel Herttrich
Germany Carla Nelte		 21–13, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [27]
2018 Singapore Open Super 500 Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Nami Matsuyama
Japan Chiharu Shida		 16–21, 24–22, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [28]
2018 Akita Masters Super 100 Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Nami Matsuyama
Japan Chiharu Shida		 23–21, 21–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [29]
2018 Spain Masters Super 300 Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Mayu Matsumoto
Japan Wakana Nagahara		 17–21, 13–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [30]
2018 Indonesia Masters Super 100 Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Nami Matsuyama
Japan Chiharu Shida		 11–21, 21–19, 22–20 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [31]
2019 Akita Masters Super 100 Japan Yukiko Takahata Indonesia Nita Violina Marwah
Indonesia Putri Syaikah		 21–17, 14–21, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [32]
2022 Canada Open Super 100 Japan Rena Miyaura Japan Rui Hirokami
Japan Yuna Kato		 21–13, 21–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [10][33]
2022 Indonesia Masters Super 100 Japan Rena Miyaura Japan Rui Hirokami
Japan Yuna Kato		 21–23, 18–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [11]
2023 Swiss Open Super 300 Japan Rena Miyaura Japan Yuki Fukushima
Japan Sayaka Hirota		 Walkover 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [12]
2023 Orléans Masters Super 300 Japan Rena Miyaura China Liu Shengshu
China Tan Ning		 21–19, 16–21, 21–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [13]
2025 India Open Super 750 Japan Arisa Igarashi South Korea Kim Hye-jeong
South Korea Kong Hee-yong		 21–15, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [15]
2026 Malaysia Masters Super 500 Japan Sayaka Hirota China Chen Fanshutian
China Luo Xumin		 16–21, 23–25 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [20]

BWF Grand Prix (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
2017 New Zealand Open Japan Yukiko Takahata Malaysia Vivian Hoo
Malaysia Woon Khe Wei		 21–18, 16–21, 19–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [34]
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (1 title, 3 runners-up)

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2017 Osaka International Japan Yukiko Takahata South Korea Kim So-yeong
South Korea Yoo Hae-won		 21–16, 17–21, 19–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [35]
2017 Spanish International Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Misato Aratama
Japan Akane Watanabe		 21–10, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [36]
2018 Osaka International Japan Yukiko Takahata Japan Naoko Fukuman
Japan Kurumi Yonao		 21–17, 19–21, 16–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [37]
2022 Mexican International Japan Hinata Suzuki Japan Rui Hirokami
Japan Yuna Kato		 21–15, 19–21, 17–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [9]
  BWF International Challenge tournament

References

  1. ↑ "Players: Ayako Sakuramoto". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "[Team & Player Information] Ayako Sakuramoto and Suzu Nakahara join Gifu Bluvic. Sakuramoto says, "I'm determined to be on the same team as Hirota-san."". Badminton Spirit (in Japanese). April 1, 2026. Archived from the original on April 2, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  3. ↑ "China bags 5-gold again while Japan defends 1-bronze only" (in Japanese). BadPaL. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Asian Juniors 2012 Team Final – Japan wins first team title". Badzine.net. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  5. ↑ "China regains No.1 in Asia, recovers from last year's loss to Japan" (in Japanese). BadPaL. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ "ヨネックス大阪インターナショナルチャレンジ2017" (in Japanese). Yonex. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  7. ↑ "バドミントンスペインインターナショナル2017" (in Japanese). Nippon Badminton Association. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Indonesia Open 2021 - Greysia/Apriyani Advance to the Semifinals After a Grueling Match". Djarum Badminton (in Indonesian). November 26, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "The II Mexican International Challenge has concluded". Heraldo de México (in Spanish). April 17, 2022. Archived from the original on September 13, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Lawrence, Bruno (October 3, 2022). "Michelle Li wins at home in Women's Individual – OA Sport". Wire Service Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  11. 1 2 "Indonesia Masters 2022 - Revans' Mission Succeeded, Rui/Yuna Win" (in Indonesian). Djarum Badminton. October 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. 1 2 Binner, Andrew (March 26, 2023). "Watanabe Koki wins shock Swiss Open badminton men's singles title". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on October 27, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "3rd women's doubles title for Japan". Orléans Masters Badminton. April 9, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ↑ "Pearly-thinaah's All England Campaign Fizzled Out In Quarter-finals". Bernama. March 15, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "[Badminton] "Sakugashi" Ayako Sakuramoto and Arisa Igarashi win India Open after only four and a half months together" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. January 19, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  16. ↑ "China Charges into BAMTC 2025 Finals After Epic Showdown Against Japan". Badminton Asia. February 16, 2025. Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  17. ↑ Igarashi, Yu (August 11, 2025). "Thailand International Series 2025 | Reports". Badminton Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  18. ↑ Igarashi, Yu (August 18, 2025). "Thailand International Challenge 2025 | Reports". Badminton Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  19. ↑ "2026 All England Badminton Open: Updates, Japanese Team Results, and Summary". International Olympic Committee (in Japanese). March 11, 2026. Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  20. 1 2 "[Malaysia Masters 2026] Sayaka Hirota & Ayako Sakuramoto lose a close match to a Chinese pair, finishing as runners-up! <Final Match Results>". Badminton Spirit (in Japanese). May 24, 2026. Archived from the original on May 24, 2026. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  21. ↑ Toganoo, Shoichi (July 10, 2011). "2011 Asian Youth U19 Badminton Championships | Reports". Nippon Badminton Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  22. ↑ Alleyne, Gayle (March 19, 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  23. ↑ Sukumar, Dev (January 10, 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  24. ↑ Sukumar, Dev (February 26, 2018). "Verma, Takahashi Claim Singles Crowns – Yonex Swiss Open 2018: Review". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  25. ↑ Sukumar, Dev (May 7, 2018). "Double for Wang Chi-Lin – Review: Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Open 2018". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  26. ↑ Giles, Thomas (May 13, 2018). "China secure both singles titles at BWF Australian Open". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  27. ↑ Diamond, James (June 24, 2018). "Li Xuerui wins BWF Canada Open to continue injury comeback". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  28. ↑ Alleyne, Gayle (July 22, 2018). "Singapore Sting! – Doubles Finals: Singapore Open 2018". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Sitthikom secures Akita Masters win". Bangkok Post. July 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 5, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  30. ↑ Pavitt, Michael (September 2, 2018). "Gemke battles back to win BWF Spain Masters in Barcelona". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  31. ↑ Tegar, Bimo (September 23, 2018). "(BaBel Indonesia Masters 2018) Fulfill Targets". Djarum Badminton (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  32. ↑ Hearn, Don (August 18, 2019). "JAPAN MASTERS 2019 – On eve of Worlds, past champs busy winning elsewhere". Badzine. Archived from the original on February 8, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  33. ↑ Masuda, Keita (October 2, 2022). "Result: Canada Open 2022". Nippon Badminton Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  34. ↑ Sukumar, Dev (August 7, 2017). "Debut Crown for Lee Cheuk Yiu - SKYCITY New Zealand". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on September 8, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  35. ↑ "[IC] Yu Igarashi and Sayaka Takahashi win the singles title! <Osaka International>". Badminton Spirit (in Japanese). April 2, 2017. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  36. ↑ Masuda, Keita (June 19, 2017). "Badminton Spain International 2017 | Results". Nippon Badminton Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 8, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  37. ↑ "[IC] Japan wins in 4 events! Igarashi achieves his second consecutive victory! <Osaka International>". Badminton Spirit (in Japanese). April 9, 2018. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
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