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Yuna Kato

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Yuna Kato
Kato at the 2022 Taipei Open
Personal information
Born (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 (age 23)
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 place 2022 Selangor Women'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

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

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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.

Achievements

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

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The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[8] 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.[9]

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][10]
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 [11]
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 [12]

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

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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 [13]
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 [14]
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 [15]
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
  BWF International Challenge tournament

BWF Junior International (1 title)

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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 [16]
  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament

References

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  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "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. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "BWF Korea Masters 2023: Momota Kento secures first title in two years - results". International Olympic Committee. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ Martinez, Sara Gonzalez (2022-09-19). "YONEX Belgian International 2022: Asia wins all the titles". badmintoneurope.com. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  15. ^ "#PETRONASMalaysiaIC2025 Malaysia Take Two Titles". Badminton Association of Malaysia. 17 August 2025. Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  16. ^ "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)
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