Misaki Matsutomo

Misaki Matsutomo (松友 美佐紀, Matsutomo Misaki; born 8 February 1992) is a Japanese badminton player who is a doubles specialist. Alongside her long-time partner Ayaka Takahashi, she secured Japan's first-ever gold medal in badminton at the at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The victory credited with effectively breaking the prolonged Chinese dominance in the women's doubles discipline. Matsutomo and Takahashi excellence was formally recognized by the Badminton World Federation when they were named the 2017 Female Player of the Year. Reaching the World No. 1 ranking, Matsutomo became renowned for her technical mastery of the front court, utilizing sophisticated net play, rapid interceptions, and precise shuttle placement to dictate the tempo of international matches.

Matsutomo individual honors include several titles, most notably two BWF year-end finals titles in 2014 and 2018. Within the continental championships, Matsutomo is a two-time Asian Champion, having secured gold medals in 2016 and 2017. Her competitive consistency is further evidenced by two silver medals at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, as well a bronze at the 2017 BWF World Championships. At the international team level, Matsutomo has been a cornerstone of the Japanese national squad since her debut. Her contributions were instrumental during Japan's period of global supremacy, highlighted by the team's triumph at the 2018 Uber Cup and a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games team event.