Akane Yamaguchi

Akane Yamaguchi is a Japanese badminton player who has achieved significant success in women's singles. She became the first Japanese player to reach the world number one ranking on 19 April 2018 and has won the World Championship title three times, in 2021, 2022, and 2025, making her the first Japanese athlete in any discipline to accomplish this feat. Yamaguchi has also won major titles such as the All England Open, the Asian Championships, and the BWF World Tour Finals. As a junior, she won consecutive World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014 and became the youngest player to win a BWF Super Series tournament at the 2013 Japan Open.

In team competitions, Yamaguchi contributed to Japan's victories at the 2018 Asian Games, the 2018 Uber Cup, the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships, and the 2018 and 2020 Asia Team Championships. She was named BWF Most Promising Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014 and received the BWF Female Player of the Year award in 2022.