# Wakana Nagahara

Wakana Nagahara (永原 和可那, Nagahara Wakana, born 9 January 1996) is a Japanese badminton player. She is a two-time world champion in the women's doubles. Nagahara attended Aomori Yamada High School, and was part of the Japanese national junior team that won the bronze medals at the 2013, 2014 Asian and 2014 World Junior Championships. She won her first senior international title at the 2014 Smiling Fish International in the women's doubles event partnered with Mayu Matsumoto. In national events, she plays for the Hokuto Bank team. Nagahara was awarded as the 2018 Most Improved Player of the Year by the BWF together with her partner Mayu Matsumoto. They obtained the honour after winning the 2018 BWF World Championships title and improving their ranking from 14 to 3 in the world. On 30 April 2019, she reached a career high as the women's doubles world No. 1.

## Career
### 2021

In March, Nagahara and her partner Mayu Matsumoto won their first World Tour Super 1000 title in the All England Open defeating their compatriots, the defending champion, and current world number 1, Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota in the final. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics partnering Matsumoto as 3rd seeds, and her pace was stopped by Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong of South Korea in the quarter-finals.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
| BWF Awards | 2018 | Most Improved Player of the Year with Mayu Matsumoto | Won | |

## Achievements
### BWF World Championships

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2018 | Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park, Nanjing, China | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 19–21, 21–19, 22–20 | Gold |
| 2019 | St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 21–11, 20–22, 23–21 | Gold |
| 2021 | Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Huelva, Spain | Mayu Matsumoto | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 15–21, 12–21 | Bronze |
| 2022 | Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Mayu Matsumoto | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 13–21, 14–21 | Bronze |

### Asian Championships

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2019 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Mayu Matsumoto | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 21–19, 14–21, 19–21 | Silver |
| 2023 | Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Hall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Mayu Matsumoto | Baek Ha-na Lee So-hee | 21–16, 8–21, 13–21 | Bronze |

### BWF World Tour (5 titles, 10 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018, 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.
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2018 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 14–21, 21–16, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Spain Masters | Super 300 | Mayu Matsumoto | Ayako Sakuramoto Yukiko Takahata | 21–17, 21–13 | Winner |
| 2018 | China Open | Super 1000 | Mayu Matsumoto | Misaki Matsutomo Ayaka Takahashi | 16–21, 12–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | French Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva | 21–14, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2018 | Fuzhou China Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan | 21–23, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Mayu Matsumoto | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 21–18, 20–22, 11–21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | Singapore Open | Super 500 | Mayu Matsumoto | Kim Hye-jeong Kong Hee-yong | 21–17, 22–20 | Winner |
| 2019 | Japan Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong | 12–21, 12–21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals | Mayu Matsumoto | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 14–21, 10–21 | Runner-up |
| 2020 | Denmark Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 10–21, 21–16, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2021 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 21–18, 21–16 | Winner |
| 2022 | Thailand Open | Super 500 | Mayu Matsumoto | Nami Matsuyama Chiharu Shida | 21–17, 15–21, 24–26 | Runner-up |
| 2022 | French Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Pearly Tan Thinaah Muralitharan | 19–21, 21–18, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2023 | Canada Open | Super 500 | Mayu Matsumoto | Nami Matsuyama Chiharu Shida | 20–22, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2024 | India Open | Super 750 | Mayu Matsumoto | Zhang Shuxian Zheng Yu | 21–12, 21–13 | Winner |

### BWF Grand Prix (2 titles, 4 runners-up)

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2014 | Russian Open | Mayu Matsumoto | Yuriko Miki Koharu Yonemoto | 17–21, 7–21 | Runner-up |
| 2016 | U.S. Open | Mayu Matsumoto | Shiho Tanaka Koharu Yonemoto | 22–20, 15–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2016 | Thailand Open | Mayu Matsumoto | Puttita Supajirakul Sapsiree Taerattanachai | 12–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2017 | Canada Open | Mayu Matsumoto | Chisato Hoshi Naru Shinoya | 21–16, 16–21, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2017 | U.S. Open | Mayu Matsumoto | Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan | 16–21, 13–21 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2016 | U.S. Open | Yugo Kobayashi | Robert Mateusiak Nadieżda Zięba | 21–16, 21–18 | Winner |
    BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
    BWF Grand Prix tournament

### BWF International Challenge/Series (1 title)

Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2014 | Smiling Fish International | Mayu Matsumoto | Pacharapun Chochuwong Chanisa Teachavorasinskun | 21–17, 21–11 | Winner |
    BWF International Challenge tournament
    BWF International Series tournament

## Performance timeline
### Key

| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | G | S | B | NH | N/A | DNQ |

### National team

* Junior level
| Team events | 2013 | 2014 |
| Asian Junior Championships | B | B |
| World Junior Championships | 4th | B |
* Senior level
| Team events | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Asia Team Championships | NH | G | NH | A | NH | A |
| Uber Cup | NH | A | NH | B | NH | B |
| Sudirman Cup | S | NH | DNP | NH | B | NH |

### Individual competitions
#### Senior level
##### Women's doubles

| Events | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Asian Championships | A | S | NH | NH | A | B | QF |
| World Championships | G | G | NH | B | B | 3R | NH |
| Olympic Games | NH | NH | QF | NH | NH | NH | RR |
| Tournament | BWF Superseries / Grand Prix | BWF Superseries / Grand Prix | BWF Superseries / Grand Prix | BWF Superseries / Grand Prix | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | Best |
| Tournament | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Best |
| Malaysia Open | A | A | A | A | QF | QF | NH | NH | SF | A | 2R | SF ('22) |
| India Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | A | A | W | W ('24) |
| Indonesia Masters | A | A | A | NH | A | SF | 2R | A | A | w/d | w/d | SF ('19) |
| German Open | A | A | A | A | 2R | SF | NH | NH | w/d | QF | A | SF ('19) |
| French Open | A | A | A | SF | W | SF | NH | A | F | SF | SF | W ('18) |
| All England Open | A | A | A | A | SF | F | QF | W | w/d | QF | 1R | W ('21) |
| Spain Masters | NH | NH | NH | NH | W | A | A | A | NH | A | A | W ('18) |
| Thailand Open | NH | A | F | A | QF | QF | w/d | NH | F | A | A | F ('16, '22) |
| Thailand Open | NH | A | F | A | QF | QF | w/d | NH | F | A | A | F ('16, '22) |
| Malaysia Masters | A | A | 1R | A | A | SF | w/d | NH | 2R | SF | A | SF ('19, '23) |
| Singapore Open | A | A | A | A | A | W | NH | NH | A | QF | QF | W ('19) |
| Indonesia Open | A | A | A | A | F | QF | NH | A | 1R | SF | SF | F ('18) |
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | QF | NH | NH | QF | QF | A | QF ('19, '22, '23) |
| U.S. Open | A | 1R | F | F | A | A | NH | NH | NH | A | A | F ('16, '17) |
| Canada Open | A | QF | A | W | A | A | NH | NH | A | F | A | W ('17) |
| Japan Open | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | F | NH | NH | QF | SF | 1R | F ('19) |
| Korea Open | A | A | A | QF | QF | 2R | NH | NH | A | SF | Ret. | SF ('23) |
| Chinese Taipei Open | 2R | 1R | A | SF | A | A | NH | NH | A | A | Ret. | SF ('17) |
| Hong Kong Open | A | A | A | QF | 1R | SF | NH | NH | NH | QF | Ret. | SF ('19) |
| China Open | A | A | A | A | F | 2R | NH | NH | NH | QF | Ret. | F ('18) |
| Macau Open | A | A | A | QF | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | Ret. | QF ('17) |
| Denmark Open | A | A | A | A | 1R | SF | F | A | 1R | SF | Ret. | F ('20) |
| Korea Masters | A | A | QF | A | A | A | NH | NH | A | A | Ret. | QF ('16) |
| Japan Masters | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | SF | Ret. | SF ('23) |
| China Masters | A | A | 2R | 1R | F | SF | NH | NH | NH | QF | Ret. | F ('18) |
| Superseries / World Tour Finals | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | SF | F | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | w/d | Ret. | F ('19) |
| New Zealand Open | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | QF | NH | NH | NH | NH | Ret. | QF ('19) |
| Russian Open | F | w/d | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | Ret. | F ('14) |
| Year-end ranking | 101 | 94 | 32 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | — | 1 |
| Tournament | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Best |

##### Mixed doubles

| Events | 2019 |
| Asian Championships | 2R |
| World Championships | 3R |
| Tournament | SS / GP | SS / GP | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | BWF World Tour | Best |
| Tournament | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Best |
| Malaysia Masters | A | A | A | 2R | QF | QF ('20) |
| Indonesia Masters | A | NH | A | QF | 1R | QF ('19) |
| German Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| All England Open | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R ('19, '20) |
| Singapore Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| Australian Open | A | A | A | 2R | NH | 2R ('19) |
| U.S. Open | W | SF | A | A | NH | W ('16) |
| Canada Open | A | SF | A | A | NH | SF ('17) |
| Korea Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| China Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| Japan Open | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('16, '17, '19) |
| Denmark Open | A | A | 1R | 2R | w/d | 2R ('19) |
| French Open | A | A | QF | QF | NH | QF ('18, '19) |
| Fuzhou China Open | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | NH | 2R ('18) |
| Hong Kong Open | A | A | QF | 2R | NH | QF ('18) |
| Indonesia Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| Malaysia Open | A | A | A | 1R | NH | 1R ('19) |
| Thailand Open | A | A | A | 1R | w/d | 1R ('19) |
| Thailand Open | A | A | A | 1R | w/d | 1R ('19) |
| Year-end ranking | 122 | 94 | 64 | 25 | 25 | 19 |
| Tournament | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Best |