1. Overview
Akane Yamaguchi is a prominent Japanese badminton player, widely recognized for her exceptional achievements in the sport. She is a two-time world champion in women's singles, having secured gold medals in both the 2021 and 2022 editions. Her career highlights also include reaching the pinnacle of the sport as a former BWF world No. 1, a position she first attained on April 19, 2018.
Yamaguchi has been a pivotal member of the Japanese national badminton team, contributing to numerous team victories. She helped Japan win the Asian Junior Championships mixed team title in 2012, and later secured gold medals in the Asia Mixed Team Championships in 2017 and the Asia Team Championships in 2018 and 2020. A significant achievement came in 2018 when she was part of the Japanese team that won the Uber Cup, marking Japan's first victory in this prestigious women's team competition in 37 years.
Individually, Yamaguchi demonstrated early dominance by winning the BWF World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014, and the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in 2014. Her transition to the senior circuit was marked by her becoming the youngest player to win a BWF Super Series tournament at the Japan Open in 2013, at just 16 years and 3 months old. She continued her success in the BWF World Tour era, winning multiple Super 1000, 750, and 500 titles, including the 2022 BWF World Tour Finals. Her outstanding performance in 2022, which included victories at the All England Open, the World Championships, and the BWF World Tour Finals, earned her the 2022 BWF Female Player of the Year award, a historic feat for a Japanese women's singles player.
2. Early Life and Background
Akane Yamaguchi was born on June 6, 1997, in Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan. She is 5.1 ft (1.56 m) tall and weighs 121 lb (55 kg), and plays right-handed. She began her badminton journey at the early age of three.
2.1. Childhood and Education
Yamaguchi attended Katsuyama Hiraijiji Elementary School and Katsuyama Nambu Junior High School. During her third year of junior high school in 2012, she achieved a significant milestone by winning a gold medal at the Asian Youth U19 Badminton Championships in the team event. In December of the same year, she made history as the youngest middle school student to advance past the first round of the All Japan General Badminton Championships. Her promising talent led to her selection for the Japanese national badminton team on December 20, 2012, making her the youngest player ever to be chosen.
After junior high, she enrolled in Fukui Prefectural Katsuyama High School. While still in high school, she continued to excel, winning the women's singles title at the National High School General Athletic Meet (Inter-High) in August 2013.
2.2. Early Career Development
Yamaguchi's initial foray into competitive play began with her participation in the Osaka International Challenge in 2012. Her early career was marked by rapid progression through the junior ranks, quickly establishing her as a formidable talent in Japanese badminton.
3. Junior Career
Akane Yamaguchi achieved significant success in her junior career, demonstrating her potential on the international stage across various prestigious competitions.
3.1. Asian Junior Championships
Yamaguchi's performance at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships showcased her early dominance in the regional junior circuit. In July 2012, she represented Japan at the championships held in Gimcheon, South Korea. She reached the semi-finals in the girls' singles event, securing a bronze medal after a defeat to her compatriot Nozomi Okuhara with scores of 19-21, 9-21. Furthermore, she was a member of Japan's national junior team that clinched the country's first-ever junior mixed team title at the same event. In 2013, she also earned a bronze medal in the mixed team event in Kota Kinabalu. Her strong form continued into the 2014 championships in Taipei, Taiwan, where she won the gold medal in girls' singles by defeating China's Chen Yufei 21-10, 21-15, and also secured a bronze in the mixed team event.
3.2. World Junior Championships
Yamaguchi's achievements at the BWF World Junior Championships were particularly notable, with multiple finals appearances and gold medals. In 2012, at the championships held in Chiba, Japan, she reached the girls' singles final but was defeated by Nozomi Okuhara, earning a silver medal. She also secured a silver medal in the mixed team event. The following year, at the 2013 championships in Bangkok, Thailand, she claimed the girls' singles title by defeating her teammate Aya Ohori with a score of 21-11, 21-13. She successfully defended her title at the 2014 championships in Alor Setar, Malaysia, where she overcame China's He Bingjiao 14-21, 21-18, 21-13, marking her second consecutive gold medal in the event. She also contributed to a bronze medal for Japan in the mixed team event in 2014.
3.3. Youth Olympics and Asian Youth Games
Yamaguchi also participated in multi-sport events for young athletes. At the 2nd Asian Youth Games held in Nanjing, China, in August 2013, she won a gold medal in mixed doubles, partnering with Minoru Koga. She also competed in the girls' singles event, reaching the round of 16. In August 2014, she served as the flag-bearer for the Japanese team at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. In the girls' singles event, she was the top seed and ultimately won the silver medal, losing to He Bingjiao in a close three-set match (24-22, 21-23, 17-21). She also participated in mixed doubles at the Youth Olympics, reaching the group stage.
4. Senior Career
Akane Yamaguchi's senior career saw her transition to professional badminton, join a prominent team, and achieve significant success in major international tournaments under both the BWF Superseries/Grand Prix and BWF World Tour structures.
4.1. Transition to Professional
After graduating from high school, Akane Yamaguchi opted not to pursue higher education and instead joined the Saishunkan Pharmaceutical Badminton Team. She became an active member of the team in 2016, marking her full transition to professional competition. Her first entry into professional competition was at the Osaka International Challenge in 2012, even before her official professional team affiliation.
4.2. BWF Superseries and Grand Prix Era
Yamaguchi's early senior career was marked by rapid ascent and notable victories. In April 2013, she finished as the women's singles runner-up at the Osaka International, losing to Kaori Imabeppu (20-22, 16-21). She also reached the final of the New Zealand Open, a Grand Prix tournament, where she was defeated by Deng Xuan (17-21, 21-18, 20-22).
A pivotal moment came in September 2013 at the Japan Open. Unseeded, she defeated formidable opponents including P. V. Sindhu, the bronze medalist from the 2013 World Championships, and seeded player Tai Tzu-ying. She went on to beat her compatriot Shizuka Uchida in the final (21-15, 21-19), becoming the youngest player ever to win a BWF Super Series tournament at just 16 years and 3 months old. This was also Japan's first victory in the women's singles event at their home tournament since 1981. In late 2013 and again in 2014, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) recognized her talent by naming her the "Most Promising Player of the Year".
In January 2014, at the Malaysia Open, Yamaguchi defeated reigning world champion Ratchanok Intanon in the first round. In November of the same year, she reached the final of the China Open, a Superseries Premier event, after defeating top-ranked players like Wang Shixian, Sun Yu, and Bae Yeon-ju. She finished as runner-up, losing to Saina Nehwal (12-21, 20-22). In December 2014, she won the All Japan General Championships, becoming the second-youngest player to do so at 17 years and 6 months. She qualified for the Superseries Finals in December, winning all her group matches against formidable opponents including former champion Wang Yihan, Ratchanok Intanon, and Tai Tzu-ying, before losing to Sung Ji-hyun in the semi-finals.
In June 2015, at the Indonesian Open, Yamaguchi notably defeated reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui in the second round. In October, she became the champion of the Bitburger Open (Grand Prix Gold) by defeating Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan (16-21, 21-14, 21-13).
In October 2016, Yamaguchi secured her second Superseries title at the Korea Open, beating Sung Ji-hyun (20-22, 21-15, 21-18). She followed this with another victory at the Denmark Open, a Superseries Premier event. On her path to the title, she defeated her teammate Nozomi Okuhara in the quarter-finals and two-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist Carolina Marín in a challenging three-set semi-final. In the final, she defeated the world No. 2, Tai Tzu-ying, with a score of 19-21, 21-14, 21-12. This made her only the third non-Chinese women's singles player to win two consecutive Superseries titles.
In February 2017, she won the title at the German Open (Grand Prix Gold) via walkover against Carolina Marín. In November, she won her first title of the year at the China Open (Superseries Premier), defeating Chinese rival Gao Fangjie (21-13, 21-15). In December, she participated in the Dubai World Superseries Finals. After defeating Sayaka Sato and He Bingjiao in the group stage and Ratchanok Intanon in the semi-finals, she triumphed over World Championship runner-up P. V. Sindhu in the final (15-21, 21-12, 21-19) to win the women's singles championship. Yamaguchi concluded 2017 as the highest-paid player of the year, earning 261.36 K USD from 15 tournaments.
4.3. BWF World Tour Era
The BWF World Tour, introduced in 2018, marked a new chapter in Yamaguchi's career, where she continued to excel and reach the top of the world rankings.
In March 2018, Yamaguchi won the Super 300 German Open by defeating China's Chen Yufei (21-19, 6-21, 21-12). She then reached her first-ever final at the All England Open (Super 1000), where she was defeated by Tai Tzu-ying (20-22, 13-21). On April 19, 2018, at the age of 20, Yamaguchi ascended to the world No. 1 ranking, becoming the first Japanese singles player to achieve this feat. In recognition of this achievement, she was awarded the "Honorary Citizen Award" by the mayor of Katsuyama on May 1, 2018. In October, she won the Super 750 French Open, defeating Tai Tzu-ying in a thrilling three-game match (22-20, 17-21, 21-13), thereby avenging her defeat to Tai at the same stage a year prior.
In February 2019, Yamaguchi secured another Super 300 German Open title, defeating Ratchanok Intanon (16-21, 21-14, 25-23). In April, she was the runner-up at the Super 750 Malaysia Open, losing to Tai Tzu-ying (16-21, 19-21). She then won the Asian Championships, becoming the first Japanese women's singles player to do so. She defeated top seed Chen Yufei in the semi-finals and He Bingjiao in the final (21-19, 21-9). In July, she claimed her first Super 1000 title at the Indonesia Open, defeating P. V. Sindhu (21-15, 21-16) in the final, after overcoming world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying in the semi-finals. That same month, she won her second Japan Open title (Super 750), six years after her first, by defeating Nozomi Okuhara (21-13, 21-15). However, in August, she suffered an injury and was defeated in the second round of the 2019 BWF World Championships by 20-year-old Yeo Jia Min of Singapore (0-2). She qualified for the World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, reaching the semi-finals before being defeated by Chen Yufei.
In 2020, Yamaguchi secured her first title of the year at the Super 300 Thailand Masters, defeating An Se-young in straight games (21-16, 22-20).
In 2021, she won her second consecutive Super 1000 title at the Denmark Open, besting her rival An Se-young (18-21, 25-23, 16-5 retired). She followed this with a victory at the Super 750 French Open against Sayaka Takahashi (21-18, 21-12). Later, she was the runner-up at the Super 750 Indonesia Masters, losing to An Se-young (17-21, 19-21).
The year 2022 was particularly successful for Yamaguchi. At the All England Open (Super 1000), she defeated An Se-young in straight sets (21-15, 21-15) to win her first All England title, becoming the fourth Japanese women's singles player to do so. In April, she was the runner-up at the Asian Championships, losing to China's Wang Zhiyi (21-15, 13-21, 19-21). In August, she won the Super 750 Japan Open, defeating An Se-young (21-9, 21-15). In December, she won the 2022 BWF World Tour Finals in Bangkok, Thailand, with a 2-0 victory over Tai Tzu-ying (21-18, 22-20). Her remarkable performance in 2022, which included winning the All England Open, the World Championships, and the BWF World Tour Finals, led to her being named the 2022 BWF Female Player of the Year. This achievement marked a historic first for a Japanese women's singles player and a world women's singles player since 1997 to win these three prestigious titles in the same year.
In 2023, Yamaguchi continued her strong performance. She won the Super 1000 Malaysia Open by defeating An Se-young (12-21, 21-19, 21-11). She was the runner-up at the Super 750 India Open, again losing to An Se-young (21-15, 16-21, 12-21). She then secured titles at the Super 300 German Open (defeating An Se-young 21-11, 21-14), the Super 500 Malaysia Masters (defeating Gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-17, 21-7), and the Super 500 Canada Open (defeating Ratchanok Intanon 21-19, 21-16). She was the runner-up at the Super 750 Singapore Open and the Super 1000 China Open, both times losing to An Se-young. She concluded her 2023 World Tour season with a victory at the Super 500 Hong Kong Open, defeating Zhang Yiman (21-18, 21-15).
In 2024, Yamaguchi reached the final of the Super 750 French Open, where she was defeated by An Se-young (21-18, 13-21, 10-21). She also reached the final of the Super 1000 All England Open but retired due to injury against Carolina Marín (24-26, 1-11 retired). She continued her success at home, winning the Super 750 Japan Open against Busanan Ongbamrungphan (21-12, 21-10) and the Super 500 Japan Masters against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (21-12, 21-12).
5. Major International Tournaments
Akane Yamaguchi has consistently performed at the highest level in the most prestigious international badminton championships, securing multiple medals across various events.
5.1. World Championships
Yamaguchi has a distinguished record at the BWF World Championships. She earned a bronze medal in women's singles at the 2018 championships in Nanjing, China, after losing to P. V. Sindhu (16-21, 22-24) in the semi-finals. She achieved her first gold medal in women's singles at the 2021 championships in Huelva, Spain, defeating Tai Tzu-ying (21-14, 21-11) in the final. She successfully defended her title at the 2022 championships in Tokyo, Japan, by beating Chen Yufei (21-12, 10-21, 21-14) in the final, becoming the first player in Japanese women's singles history to achieve this feat. At the 2023 championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, she secured another bronze medal, losing to Carolina Marín (21-23, 13-21) in the semi-finals.
5.2. Olympic Games
Yamaguchi has represented Japan in multiple Olympic Games. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she reached the quarter-finals in women's singles, where she was eliminated by her teammate Nozomi Okuhara. She also competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, as the number four seed, but again exited in the quarter-finals after losing to P. V. Sindhu. She reached the quarter-finals again at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
5.3. Asian Games
Yamaguchi has achieved success at the Asian Games. At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, she earned a bronze medal as part of the Japanese women's team. In the women's singles event, she reached the second round. At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, she contributed to the Japanese women's team winning a gold medal. In the women's singles event, she secured a bronze medal, losing to P. V. Sindhu (17-21, 21-15, 10-21) in the semi-finals. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she was part of the Japanese women's team that won a bronze medal.
5.4. Asian Championships
Yamaguchi has a strong record at the Badminton Asia Championships. She reached the second round in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, at the championships in Wuhan, China, she was the runner-up in women's singles, losing to Tai Tzu-ying (21-18, 11-21, 18-21) in the final. In 2019, also in Wuhan, she claimed the gold medal in women's singles, defeating He Bingjiao (21-19, 21-9) in the final. In 2022, in Manila, Philippines, she was the runner-up again, losing to Wang Zhiyi (21-15, 13-21, 19-21). In 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, she won a bronze medal, being defeated by Tai Tzu-ying (12-21, 21-16, 15-21) in the semi-finals.
5.5. East Asian Games
Yamaguchi participated in the East Asian Games in 2013, held in Tianjin, China. She earned a bronze medal in the women's singles event, losing to Wang Shixian in a three-set match (21-19, 19-21, 16-21). She also secured a bronze medal as part of the women's team.
6. BWF Tour Tournaments
Akane Yamaguchi has amassed a significant number of titles and notable performances across various BWF World Tour and former BWF Superseries/Grand Prix events.
6.1. BWF World Tour Finals
Yamaguchi has been a consistent performer at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals. In 2017, she won the Dubai World Superseries Finals (the predecessor to the World Tour Finals), defeating P. V. Sindhu in the final. In the BWF World Tour Finals era, she reached the semi-finals in 2019 (losing to Chen Yufei) and 2021. In 2022, she won the championship in Bangkok, Thailand, with a 2-0 victory over Tai Tzu-ying (21-18, 22-20). In 2024, she reached the round-robin stage.
6.2. All England Open
Yamaguchi has achieved significant success at the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships. She reached her first All England final in 2018, where she was the runner-up to Tai Tzu-ying. In 2019, she reached the semi-finals. In 2022, she won her first All England title, defeating An Se-young in straight sets (21-15, 21-15). She became the fourth Japanese women's singles player to win the All England Championship. In 2023, she reached the semi-finals. In 2024, she reached the final but retired due to injury against Carolina Marín.
6.3. Indonesia Open
Yamaguchi claimed her first Super 1000 title at the Indonesia Open in 2019, defeating P. V. Sindhu (21-15, 21-16) in the final. She also reached the quarter-finals in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
6.4. Japan Open
The Japan Open holds special significance for Yamaguchi as her home tournament. In 2013, at just 16 years old, she became the youngest player to win a BWF Superseries title by winning the Japan Open. She secured her second Japan Open title in 2019, defeating Nozomi Okuhara. She continued her winning streak at the Japan Open in 2022, defeating An Se-young, and again in 2024, defeating Busanan Ongbamrungphan. She was also a runner-up in 2015 and a semi-finalist in 2016.
6.5. Denmark Open
Yamaguchi has multiple championship titles at the Denmark Open. She won the Superseries Premier event in 2016, defeating Tai Tzu-ying. In 2017, she was the runner-up. In 2021, she won her second Denmark Open title, defeating An Se-young. She reached the quarter-finals in 2022.
6.6. China Open
Yamaguchi has a strong record at the China Open. She won the Superseries Premier event in 2017, defeating Gao Fangjie. She was also a runner-up in 2014 and reached the semi-finals in 2018 and 2024. In 2023, she was a runner-up, losing to An Se-young.
6.7. German Open
Yamaguchi has achieved multiple title wins at the German Open. She won the Grand Prix Gold event in 2017 (via walkover). She continued her winning streak in the BWF World Tour era, securing titles in 2018, 2019, and 2023.
6.8. French Open
Yamaguchi has performed well at the French Open. She was the runner-up in 2017, losing to Tai Tzu-ying. She won the title in 2018, defeating Tai Tzu-ying in a rematch. In 2021, she won her second French Open title, defeating Sayaka Takahashi. She reached the semi-finals in 2022 and was the runner-up in 2024, losing to An Se-young.
6.9. Malaysia Open
Yamaguchi has reached the final of the Malaysia Open multiple times. She was the runner-up in 2019, losing to Tai Tzu-ying. In 2023, she won the title, defeating An Se-young. She has also reached the quarter-finals in 2014 and 2018.
6.10. Korea Open
Yamaguchi won her second Superseries title at the Korea Open in 2016, defeating Sung Ji-hyun. She also reached the semi-finals in 2015, 2017, and 2018, and 2023.
6.11. Singapore Open
Yamaguchi has reached the semi-finals of the Singapore Open in 2016 and 2019. In 2023, she was the runner-up, losing to An Se-young.
6.12. Other BWF Tour Tournaments
Yamaguchi has also achieved notable performances and titles in other BWF Tour events. She won the Bitburger Open in 2015 and the Thailand Masters in 2020. She also won the Malaysia Masters and the Canada Open in 2023. In 2024, she won the Japan Masters. She reached the semi-finals of the Swiss Open, U.S. Open, Macau Open, and Korea Masters in their respective Grand Prix Gold eras.
7. National Team Competitions
Akane Yamaguchi has been a vital member of the Japanese national badminton team, contributing significantly to their success in major international team competitions.
7.1. Uber Cup
Yamaguchi has played a key role in Japan's performance at the Uber Cup, the premier international team competition for women's national badminton teams. She was part of the Japanese team that won a silver medal at the 2014 Uber Cup in New Delhi. In 2016, the team secured a bronze medal in Kunshan. A historic achievement came in 2018, when Yamaguchi helped the Japanese team win the Uber Cup in Bangkok, marking Japan's first title in this event in 37 years. The team subsequently won silver in 2020 in Aarhus, and bronze medals in 2022 in Bangkok and 2024 in Chengdu.
7.2. Sudirman Cup
Yamaguchi has also contributed to the Japanese team's results in the Sudirman Cup, the world mixed team badminton championship. She was part of the team that won silver medals at the 2015 Sudirman Cup in Dongguan, the 2019 Sudirman Cup in Nanning, and the 2021 Sudirman Cup in Vantaa. The team also secured bronze medals in 2017 in Gold Coast and 2023 in Suzhou.
7.3. Asia Team Championships
Yamaguchi has played a crucial role in Japan's success at the Badminton Asia Team Championships. She was a member of the Japanese women's team that won gold medals at the 2018 championships in Alor Setar and the 2020 championships in Manila. She also helped the mixed team win gold at the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, which was Japan's first mixed team championship title.
7.4. Asian Games Team
At the Asian Games, Yamaguchi has contributed to the Japanese team's medal achievements. She was part of the women's team that won a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. In 2018, she played a key role in the Japanese women's team securing a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the Japanese women's team, with Yamaguchi, earned a bronze medal.
8. Playing Style
Akane Yamaguchi is renowned for her distinctive playing style, characterized by exceptional agility, robust defensive capabilities, strategic court coverage, and remarkable resilience.
Chinese player Sun Yu has commented on Yamaguchi's approach, noting that despite her smaller stature, she is incredibly diligent and moves swiftly around the court. Sun Yu highlighted Yamaguchi's ability to retrieve difficult shots that other players typically cannot save. She suggested that Yamaguchi's style is built on patience and consistent performance, observing that Yamaguchi rarely makes errors and effectively capitalizes on opponents who rush and make mistakes. Another Chinese player, Wang Shixian, also acknowledged Yamaguchi's quickness and nimbleness, emphasizing that opponents need to match her speed to succeed against her.
In 2019, Li Yongbo, the former head coach of the Chinese team, offered his insights on Yamaguchi's play, stating, "She plays with patience and quality." Addressing concerns about her short stature potentially limiting her development, Li Yongbo asserted, "I think talent in badminton is not limited by height restrictions; her skill is more than enough to make up for her height." He concluded that her future performance would depend on her ability to maintain her high level of play.
9. Awards and Honors
Akane Yamaguchi has received significant accolades and recognitions throughout her career, both from international badminton organizations and her home country.
9.1. BWF Awards
Yamaguchi has been honored by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) with several prestigious awards:
| Award | Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| BWF Awards | 2013 | Eddy Choong Most Promising Player of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | Won | ||
| 2022 | Player of the Year | Won |
9.2. National Honors
In recognition of her outstanding achievements and her ascent to the world No. 1 ranking, Akane Yamaguchi was awarded the "Honorary Citizen Award" by the mayor of Katsuyama, Japan, on May 1, 2018.
10. Career Statistics
This section provides quantitative data summarizing Akane Yamaguchi's career performance in both singles and doubles, along with her world ranking progression.
10.1. Career Record Summary
Yamaguchi's overall career record demonstrates her consistent success and high winning percentage in women's singles.
| Singles | Played | Wins | Losses | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 581 | 441 | 140 | +301 |
| Doubles | Played | Wins | Losses | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
10.2. Season-by-Season Rankings
The table below tracks Akane Yamaguchi's year-end world rankings throughout her career, illustrating her progression and consistency at the elite level of badminton. Her career-high world ranking was No. 1, first achieved on April 19, 2018.
| Year | Year-end ranking |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 242 |
| 2013 | 87 |
| 2014 | 12 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
11. Head-to-Head Records
Akane Yamaguchi's match records against prominent rivals and top-ranked players in the badminton circuit are detailed below. These records are accurate as of November 26, 2024.
| Players | Matches | Results | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | |||
| Chen Yufei | 32 | 21 | 11 | +10 |
| Han Yue | 7 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| He Bingjiao | 16 | 13 | 3 | +10 |
| Li Xuerui | 11 | 4 | 7 | -3 |
| Wang Shixian | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Wang Yihan | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Wang Zhiyi | 9 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| Zhang Yiman | 7 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| Tai Tzu-ying | 24 | 11 | 13 | -2 |
| Saina Nehwal | 13 | 11 | 2 | +9 |
| P. V. Sindhu | 25 | 11 | 14 | -3 |
| Players | Matches | Results | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | |||
| Gregoria Mariska Tunjung | 20 | 15 | 5 | +10 |
| Minatsu Mitani | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Aya Ohori | 7 | 7 | 0 | +7 |
| Nozomi Okuhara | 19 | 8 | 11 | -3 |
| An Se-young | 24 | 13 | 11 | +2 |
| Bae Yeon-ju | 6 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Sung Ji-hyun | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Carolina Marín | 17 | 7 | 10 | -3 |
| Porntip Buranaprasertsuk | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Ratchanok Intanon | 25 | 14 | 11 | +3 |
12. Media Appearances
Akane Yamaguchi's rising profile has led to several notable media appearances, highlighting her journey and achievements.
- On February 22, 2012, she was featured as a "super junior high school student" on the Nippon TV program "1 Okunin no Dai Shitsumon!? Waratte Koraete!" (1億人の大質問!?笑ってコラえて!One Billion People's Big Question!? Laugh and Endure!Japanese).
- She appeared on the NHK General TV program "Mezase! 2020 nen no Olympian ~ Tokyo Gorin no Genseki-tachi ~ 'Badminton Sai Nen Sho Joou x Ogushio Shiota Reiko'" (めざせ!2020年のオリンピアン~東京五輪の原石たち~「バドミントン最年少女王×オグシオ潮田玲子」Aim for! 2020 Olympians ~The Raw Gems of the Tokyo Olympics~ "Badminton Youngest Queen x Ogushio Reiko Shiota"Japanese) on June 22, 2014. The program explored her challenges and featured her receiving technical guidance from former badminton player Reiko Shiota.
- She was the subject of "Athlete no Kiseki File.109 Akane Yamaguchi" (アスリートの輝石 File.109 Akane YamaguchiAthlete's Gemstone File.109 Akane YamaguchiJapanese), which aired on BS Nittele on August 3, 2014.
- On January 17, 2015, NHK BS1 broadcast "Athlete no Tamashii Furusato ni Chikau Shouri Badminton Akane Yamaguchi" (アスリートの魂 ふるさとに誓う勝利 バドミントン 山口茜Athlete's Soul: Victory Sworn to Hometown, Badminton Akane YamaguchiJapanese), focusing on her dedication and connection to her hometown.