# Hiroe Yuki

Hiroe Yuki (湯木 博恵, Yuki Hiroe) (15 November 1948 – 7 September 2011 in Tokyo) was a Japanese badminton player. She won numerous major international titles from the late 1960s to the late 1970s.

## Career

Yuki was among the most notable of a cadre of fine players who helped Japan to win five of the six Uber Cup (women's world team) competitions held between 1966 and 1981. With the possible exception of Etsuko Toganoo she was Japan's most successful ever player at the prestigious All-England Championships winning four singles titles (1969, 1974, 1975, 1977) there, as well as a doubles title (1971) in partnership with her friendly rival Noriko Takagi. At the 1972 Olympics, she won a bronze medal in Women's singles, when badminton was played as a demonstration sport. In the latter part of her career she earned a women's singles bronze medal at the first IBF World Championships in 1977. Yuki overcame an Achilles tendon rupture early in her career to compile her impressive record.

## Personal life

In 1986, she married Kenji Niinuma, a Japanese popular enka singer, and together they later had two children, a son and a daughter. In 2002, Yuki was inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games (demonstration)

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1972 | Munich, West Germany | Utami Dewi | 5–11, 9–11 | Bronze |

### World Championships

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | Gillian Gilks | 4–11, 7–11 | Bronze |

### World Cup

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1979 | Tokyo, Japan | Lene Køppen | 7–11, 6–11 | Silver |
| 1980 | Kyoto, Japan | Lene Køppen | 4–11, 10–12 | Silver |

### Asian Games

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1970 | Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Thongkam Kingmanee | 12–9, 11–8 | Gold |
| 1974 | Amjadieh Sport Complex, Tehran, Iran | Oh Youn-han | 11–4, 11–2 | Bronze |

### International tournaments

Women's singles :
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Noriko Takagi | 7–11, 12–10, 4–11 | Runner-up |
| 1968 | Malaysia Open | Eva Twedberg | 11–1, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1969 | All England Open | Noriko Takagi | 11–5, 11–5 | Winner |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi | 12–10, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Noriko Takagi | 5–11, 9–11 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | Canadian Open | Noriko Takagi | 12–9, 11–0 | Winner |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi | 7–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1972 | All England Open | Noriko Nakayama | 5–11, 11–3, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Denmark Open | Imre Rietveld | 11–7, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1974 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | 11–6, 12–11 | Winner |
| 1974 | Denmark Open | Lene Køppen | 11–4, 9–12, 12–9 | Winner |
| 1975 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | 11–5, 11–9 | Winner |
| 1977 | All England Open | Lene Køppen | 7–11, 11–3, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1977 | Denmark Open | Joke van Beusekom | 11–4, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1979 | Denmark Open | Lene Køppen | 8–11, 11–7, 2–11 | Runner-up |
| 1981 | German Open | Sally Leadbeater | 12–11, 11–9 | Winner |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Noriko Takagi | Rosalind Singha Ang Eva Twedberg | 15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi | Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi | 15–9, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1971 | All England Open | Noriko Takagi | Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman | 15–10, 18–13 | Winner |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Noriko Takagi | Ethel Marshall Dorothy O'Neil | 15–8, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1971 | Canadian Open | Noriko Takagi | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | Walkover | Winner |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | 15–10, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1972 | Denmark Open | Noriko Nakayama | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | 15–11, 11–15, 17–15 | Winner |

### Invitational tournament

Women's singles :
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1974 (Glasgow) | World Invitational Championships | Lene Køppen | 10–12, 11–6, 12–9 | Gold |
| 1975 | World Invitational Championships | Taty Sumirah | 11–8, 11–7 | Gold |