ALL JAPAN CHAMPS 2014 – Akane and Sho show up favourites

Akane Yamaguchi and Sho Sasaki beat the favourites in the finals of the All Japan Badminton Championships this weekend, while Naoko Fukuman / Kurumi Yonao were surprise winners in women’s doubles.

Story and photos by Miyuki Komiya (live in Tokyo)

The 68th All Japan Badminton Championships, which were held in Tokyo’s Yoyogi 2^nd Gymnasium from Dec 2-7, had the island nation’s players all a bit nervous as this is the annual selection tournament for 2015 national team members.  With the Olympic race starting next year, this tournament is good chance for young players to enter the national team and get the good opportunity to have experience to join the Olympic race.

Tago withdraws

Men’s singles top seed and 6-time consecutive title holder Kenichi Tago skipped this tournament.  It’s good for 4^th seeded Sho Sasaki.  Sasaki didn’t have a single match against another senior national team player until he reached the final.  On the other hand, 2^nd seeded Kento Momota (pictured) had to get past senior national team members to reach the final, where it was Sasaki beating Momota to pick up his second title since 2007.

3^rd straight win for Hayakawa/Endo

Men’s doubles 1^st seed Hayakawa/Endo defeat 2^nd seeded Hirata/Hashimoto (pictured) and got their third consecutive title.  National A Team members and Hong Kong Open semi-finalists Sonoda/Kamura had been defeated earlier by 2012 World Junior Championship finalists Kaneko/Inoue.

Akane grabs the title

In the women’s singles, Minatsu Mitani and Akane Yamaguchi (pictured top), the 1^st and 2^nd seeds respectively, met in the final, where two-time World Junior Champion and recent China Open finalist Yamaguchi beat defending champion Mitani in straight games.  A Team hopeful and Hong Kong Open finalist Nozomi Okuhara lost in the 1^st round.  Veteran and the finalist last year Eriko Hirose was defeated by Mitani and subsequently announced her retirement from competitions.

Women’s doubles seeds swept aside

National A Team players and veteran players seeded from 1^st to 4^th were defeated by new pairs and young players.  1^st seeded and WR2 Takahashi/Matsutomo were defeated by company team-mates Ayane Kurihara and Naru Shinoya (pictured below) in straight games while 2^nd-seeded world #5 Maeda/Kakiiwa were defeated by new pair Yonemoto/Tanaka in straight.  In the end, world #22 Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao, the 7^th seeds, beat 8^th-seeded Kurihara/Shinoya in the final and get the ticket to be National A Team members next year.

Final results
MS: Sho Sasaki beat Kento Momota 21-11, 21-19
MD: Kenichi Hayakawa / Hiroyuki Endo beat Noriyasu Hirata / Hirokatsu Hashimoto 22-24, 22-20, 21-13
WS: Akane Yamaguchi beat Minatsu Mitani 21-11, 21-18
WD: Naoko Fukuman / Kurumi Yonao beat Ayane Kurihara / Naru Shinoya 21-19, 14-21, 21-14
XD: Kenichi Hayakawa / Misaki Matsutomo beat Takeshi Kamura / Koharu Yonemoto 21-17, 21-17

Click here for more details