Yuna Kato

Yuna Kato
Kato at the 2022 Taipei Open
Personal information
Native name
加藤 佑奈
Born (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002
Gifu, Japan[1]
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Sport
CountryJapan
SportBadminton
Women's doubles
Highest ranking18 (WD with Rui Hirokami) (23 May 2023)
BWF profile
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
Asia Team Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 SelangorWomen's team

Yuna Kato (加藤 佑奈, Katō Yūna; born 26 June 2002) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in women's doubles.[2] She is a former member of the Japanese national team and plays for the Kumamoto Saishunkan badminton team. Kato reached a career-high world ranking of No. 18 alongside her former partner, Rui Hirokami. She won her first BWF World Tour title at the 2022 Indonesia Masters Super 100. She was also a runner-up in three Super 300 events: 2022 Taipei Open, 2023 Korea Masters and 2024 Orléans Masters. She was part of the Japanese team that secured a bronze medal at the 2022 Asia Team Championships.

Career

2022: First World Tour title and world No. 25 ranking

In 2022, Yuna Kato partnered with Rui Hirokami in women's doubles. On the BWF World Tour, they were runners-up at two tournaments: the Taipei Open (Super 300), where they lost to Ng Tsz Yau and Tsang Hiu Yan of Hong Kong, and the Canada Open (Super 100), where they were defeated by fellow Japanese pair Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto.[3][4][5] Kato and Hirokami won their first BWF World Tour title at the Indonesia Masters Super 100, defeating Miyaura and Sakuramoto in the final.[6] The pair also won two International Challenge titles: the Mexican International and the Belgian International.[7] Kato was part of the Japanese team that won a bronze medal at the Asia Team Championships in Selangor. Starting the year unranked, their performances led to a significant rise in their world ranking, reaching World No. 25 by 26 December 2022.

2026

During the 2026 season, Kato competed in women's doubles alongside partner Miki Kanehiro. The pair achieved consistent results on the International Challenge circuit, reaching four finals throughout the year. Their first final appearance of the season occurred in March at the Vietnam International, where they finished as runners-up to Gronya Somerville and Josephine Wu.[8] In July, Kato and Kanehiro reached the final of the Northern Marianas Open, again securing a runner-up position.[9] In August, the duo reached the final of the inaugural Philippine International, where they were defeated by the Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.[10] Additionally, they were runners-up at the Malaysia International, losing the final to fellow Japanese players Mikoto Aiso and Momoha Niimi.[11]

Achievements

BWF World Tour (1 title, 4 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[12] 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.[13]

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2022 Taipei Open Super 300 Japan Rui Hirokami Hong Kong Ng Tsz Yau
Hong Kong Tsang Hiu Yan		 15–21, 21–18, 19–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [3][4]
2022 Canada Open Super 100 Japan Rui Hirokami Japan Rena Miyaura
Japan Ayako Sakuramoto		 13–21, 8–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [5][14]
2022 Indonesia Masters Super 100 Japan Rui Hirokami Japan Rena Miyaura
Japan Ayako Sakuramoto		 23–21, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [6]
2023 Korea Masters Super 300 Japan Rui Hirokami South Korea Jeong Na-eun
South Korea Kim Hye-jeong		 12–21, 19–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [15]
2024 Orléans Masters Super 300 Japan Rui Hirokami Indonesia Meilysa Trias Puspita Sari
Indonesia Rachel Allessya Rose		 12–21, 18–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [16]

BWF International Challenge/Series (2 titles, 5 runners-up)

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2022 Mexican International Japan Rui Hirokami Japan Ayako Sakuramoto
Japan Hinata Suzuki		 15–21, 21–19, 21–17 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [17]
2022 Belgian International Japan Rui Hirokami Chinese Taipei Chang Ching-hui
Chinese Taipei Yang Ching-tun		 21–7, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [18]
2025 Malaysia International Japan Hina Osawa South Korea Jeon Jui
South Korea Kim Ha-na		 10–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [19]
2026 Vietnam International Japan Miki Kanehiro Australia Gronya Somerville
Canada Josephine Wu		 21–16, 19–21, 22–24 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [8]
2026 Northern Marianas Open Japan Miki Kanehiro South Korea Moon In-seo
South Korea Park Seul		 16–21, 21–17, 15–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [9]
2026 Philippine International Japan Miki Kanehiro India Treesa Jolly
India Gayatri Gopichand		 21–16, 4–21, 17–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [10]
2026 Malaysia International Japan Miki Kanehiro Japan Mikoto Aiso
Japan Momoha Niimi		 17–21, 15–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up [11]
  BWF International Challenge tournament

BWF Junior International (1 title)

Girls' doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2020 German Junior Japan Rui Hirokami South Korea Lee So-yul
South Korea Yoo A-yeon		 21–13, 21–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner [20]
  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament

Record against selected opponents

Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 23 August 2026.[21]

Rui Hirokami

References

  1. 1 2 "選手・スタッフ紹介". Saishunkan-badminton.com. Archived from the original on 2022-07-29. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  2. ↑ "Players: Yuna Kato". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 Chui, Shirley (24 July 2022). "Doubles delight for Yoyo Ng at Taipei Open, as Hong Kong badminton player takes mixed and women's titles". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 19 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  4. 1 2 "Taipei Open: Malaysian Duo Stun Olympic Champions". Badminton World Federation. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. 1 2 Lawrence, Bruno (3 October 2022). "Michelle Li wins at home in Women's Individual – OA Sport". Wire Service Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. 1 2 "Indonesia Masters 2022 - Revans' Mission Succeeded, Rui/Yuna Win" (in Indonesian). Djarum Badminton. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. ↑ Martinez, Sara Gonzalez (19 September 2022). "YONEX Belgian International 2022: Asia wins all the titles". Badminton Europe. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Vietnam International Challenge 2026: Japan leaves without a champion". BadmintonThaiToday.com (in Thai). 30 March 2026. Archived from the original on 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Park Seul Completes Double Gold at YONEX Northern Marianas Open". Badminton Oceania. 20 July 2026. Archived from the original on 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Vitidsarn, Sonna rule inaugural Philippine International Challenge". Manila Bulletin. 3 August 2026. Archived from the original on 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 Zamri, Adam (16 August 2026). "Hon Jian-Vin Sean miss out on double delight in Ipoh". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 August 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  14. ↑ Matsuda, Keita (2 October 2022). "Result: Canada Open 2022". Nippon Badminton Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  15. ↑ "BWF Korea Masters 2023: Momota Kento secures first title in two years - results". International Olympic Committee. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  16. ↑ "Meilysa/Rachel Win 2024 Orleans Masters" (in Indonesian). CNN Indonesia. 17 March 2024. Archived from the original on 5 November 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "The II Mexican International Challenge has concluded". Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 17 April 2022. Archived from the original on 13 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  18. ↑ Martinez, Sara Gonzalez (2022-09-19). "YONEX Belgian International 2022: Asia wins all the titles". badmintoneurope.com. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  19. ↑ "#PETRONASMalaysiaIC2025 Malaysia Take Two Titles". Badminton Association of Malaysia. 17 August 2025. Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  20. ↑ "YONEX German Junior 2020: The winners" (in German). Badminton Germany. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  21. ↑ "Yuna KATO – Head To Head". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
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