Sayaka Hobara

Sayaka Hobara
Hobara at the 2025 Taipei Open
Personal information
CountryJapan
Born (1998-07-30) 30 July 1998
Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Height1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
HandednessLeft
CoachNorio Imai
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking22 (XD with Yuichi Shimogami, 1 July 2025)
39 (WD with Yui Suizu, 21 November 2023)
Current ranking23 (XD with Yuichi Shimogami)
118 (WD with Rui Hirokami) (8 July 2025)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
Sudirman Cup
2025 Xiamen Mixed team
World Junior Championships
2016 Bilbao Girls' doubles
2016 Bilbao Mixed team
Asian Junior Championships
2016 Bangkok Mixed team
BWF profile

Sayaka Hobara (保原 彩夏, Hobara Sayaka; born 30 July 1998) is a Japanese badminton player.[1][2] Born in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Hobara is a left-handed player. She is a former World Junior Champion, having won the girls' doubles title at the 2016 World Junior Championships with Nami Matsuyama.[3] Hobara plays both women's and mixed doubles.

In women's doubles, she has partnered with players including Yui Suizu, reaching a career-high world No. 39 ranking, and Rui Hirokami, reaching the semifinals of the Thailand Open Super 500.[4] In mixed doubles, she partners Yuichi Shimogami, with whom she reached a career-high world No. 22 ranking and was runner-up at the Malaysia Super 100. Hobara has won multiple titles on the International Challenge/Series circuit in both disciplines and was a member of the Japanese team that won a bronze medal at the 2025 Sudirman Cup.

Career

2023

Hobara partnered with Yui Suizu in women's doubles. The pair achieved their highest world ranking of No. 39 on 21 November 2023. Throughout the year, in International Challenge events, Hobara and Suizu won a title at the Mexican International, defeating Americans Francesca Corbett and Allison Lee in the final.[5] They were also runners-up at the Saipan International, losing to Hsu Ya-ching and Lin Wan-ching of Chinese Taipei,[6] and at the Indonesia International in Surabaya, where they were runners-up to Laksika Kanlaha and Phataimas Muenwong of Thailand.[7]

2025

Hobara began a new women's doubles partnership with Rui Hirokami and stated their goal to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The pair debuted at the Taipei Open in May, reaching the semifinals.[8] The following week, they reached the semifinals of the Thailand Open (Super 500) as qualifiers.[9] This result was a career-best performance at this World Tour level for both players, and they were the first qualifying doubles pair in any discipline to reach the Thailand Open semifinals since 2013.[4]

In mixed doubles, Hobara continued her partnership with Yuichi Shimogami. In early 2025, they reached the semifinals at the Taipei Open and the quarterfinals at the Singapore Open. They also advanced to the second round at the Asian Championships, the German Open, the Orléans Masters, and the Indonesia Open.[10][11] Hobara was also a member of Japan's bronze medal-winning team at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, where she competed with Shimogami.[12] Hobara and Shimogami achieved a career-high world ranking of No. 22 on 1 July 2025.

Achievements

World Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2016 Bilbao Arena, Bilbao, Spain Nami Matsuyama Du Yue
Xu Ya 		25–23, 19–21, 21–14 Gold [13]

BWF World Tour (1 runner-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[14] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tours are divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[15]

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2024 Malaysia Masters Super 100 Yuichi Shimogami Ye Hong-wei
Nicole Gonzales Chan 		19–21, 21–12, 20–22 Runner-up [16]

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

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2018 Austrian International Natsuki Sone Chisato Hoshi
Kie Nakanishi 		15–21, 18–21 Runner-up [17]
2019 Osaka International Natsuki Sone Rira Kawashima
Saori Ozaki 		14–21, 21–10, 21–16 Winner [18]
2019 Maldives International Natsuki Sone Ashwini Ponnappa
N. Sikki Reddy 		21–10, 17–21, 21–12 Winner [19][20]
2020 Jamaica International Rena Miyaura Daniela Macías
Dánica Nishimura 		21–3, 21–7 Winner [21]
2022 (II) Indonesia International Hinata Suzuki Lanny Tria Mayasari
Ribka Sugiarto 		16–21, 18–21 Runner-up [22]
2023 Mexican International Yui Suizu Francesca Corbett
Allison Lee 		21–11, 23–21 Winner [5]
2023 Saipan International Yui Suizu Hsu Ya-ching
Lin Wan-ching 		10–21, 18–21 Runner-up [6]
2023 (II) Indonesia International Yui Suizu Laksika Kanlaha
Phataimas Muenwong 		18–21, 18–21 Runner-up [7]

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2024 Northern Marianas Open Yuichi Shimogami Tori Aizawa
Hina Osawa 		21–19, 21–12 Winner [23][24]
2024 Saipan International Yuichi Shimogami Hiroki Nishi
Akari Sato 		11–21, 10–21 Runner-up [25][26]
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament

BWF Junior International (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

Girls' doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2016 Dutch Junior International Nami Matsuyama Kim Ga-eun
Kim Hyang-im 		21–14, 22–20 Winner
2016 German Junior Nami Matsuyama Kim Ga-eun
Kim Hyang-im 		21–17, 21–13 Winner
2016 India Junior International Nami Matsuyama Tew Jia Jia
Yee Yap 		11–2, 11–8, 11–5 Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2016 Dutch Junior International Naoki Yamazawa Hiroki Okamura
Nami Matsuyama 		16–21, 19–21 Runner-up
2016 German Junior Hiroki Okamura Naoki Yamazawa
Nami Matsuyama 		22–20, 14–21, 11–21 Runner-up
  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament

References

  1. ^ "Players: Sayaka Hobara". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Sayaka Hobara biography". BWF-Tournament Software. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Sayaka Hobara/Nami Matsuyama spoil China's clean sweep at World Junior Championships". Badminton Planet. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b Kumar, Prem (17 May 2025). "Thailand Open: Hirokami/hobara on a Roll". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Champions in Mexico – Pan Am Circuit 2023". Badminton Pan America. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b "TAKECARE Saipan International Finals Deliver". Badminton Oceania. 19 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Indonesia International Challenge 2023 - Women's Doubles Title Belongs to Thailand" (in Indonesian). Djarum Badminton. 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  8. ^ Kumar, Prem (11 May 2025). "Taipei Open: Home Glory After 17 Years, Loh Returns to Podium Top". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  9. ^ Liew, Stanley (17 May 2025). "Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan One Step Away from First Title of 2025 at Thailand Open". BadmintonPlanet.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Taipei Open 2025 - Dejan/Fadia Eye Second Final" (in Indonesian). Djarum Badminton. 10 May 2025. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  11. ^ "[Badminton Asia Championships 2025] Rinov/Pitha and Jafar/Felisha Step into Quarterfinals" (in Indonesian). Djarum Badminton Club. 10 April 2025. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark reach Sudirman Cup quarters". Reuters. 29 April 2025. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Matsuyama and Hobara win Badminton World Junior Championships" (in Japanese). The Nikkei. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  16. ^ ""Malaysia Super 100" thrillingly blocked the opponent's counterattack, Ye Hong-wei/Nicole Gonzales Chan won the first championship together" (in Chinese). Liberty Times. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  17. ^ "Qualifier Madsen wins Austrian Open 2018" (in German). Austria Badminton Association. 24 February 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  18. ^ "[Osaka International Challenge] Japanese athletes win in three events! Watanabe, Kawakami, Hobara and Sone become champions!" (in Japanese). Badminton Spirit. 8 April 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Kaushal Dharmamer wins Maldives International Challenge". Times of India. 29 September 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  20. ^ Hirata, Noriyasu. "Results: Maldives International Challenge 2019" (in Japanese). Nippon Badminton Association. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  21. ^ Richards, Dwayne (10 March 2020). "Ricketts, Wilson secure second silver to close Jamaica International Badminton tournament". Daily Observer. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Ribka / Lanny won the women's doubles title at the 2022 Indonesia International Challenge" (in Indonesian). Tempo. 16 October 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
  23. ^ "Big wins for Japan: Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2024 - Final Day Summary". Badminton Oceania. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  24. ^ Gases, Leigh (9 July 2024). "Japan duos sweep doubles finals in Crowne Plaza Open". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  25. ^ "Thrilling Conclusion: Champions Crowned at DOVE Saipan International 2024 Finals". Badminton Oceania. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  26. ^ Gases, Leigh (17 July 2024). "Another sweep for Japan in doubles finals". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
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