# Sayaka Takahashi

Sayaka Takahashi (高橋 沙也加, Takahashi Sayaka, born 29 July 1992) is a retired Japanese badminton player who was a singles specialist. She was the bronze medalist at the 2013 and 2014 Asian Championships. Takahashi reached a career high as world number 10 in the BWF World Ranking in February 2019.

## Personal life

Takahashi is the younger sister of Ayaka Takahashi, who is a badminton doubles player.

## Achievements
### Asian Championships

Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2013 | Taipei Arena, Taipei, Taiwan | Li Xuerui | 18–21, 21–18, 12–21 | Bronze |
| 2014 | Gimcheon Indoor Stadium, Gimcheon, South Korea | Sung Ji-hyun | 21–23, 13–21 | Bronze |

### BWF World Tour (4 titles, 2 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 singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2018 | Swiss Open | Super 300 | Natsuki Nidaira | 21–12, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2018 | New Zealand Open | Super 300 | Zhang Yiman | 21–13, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2018 | Canada Open | Super 100 | Li Xuerui | 20–22, 21–15, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Singapore Open | Super 500 | Gao Fangjie | 25–23, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2018 | Akita Masters | Super 100 | Mako Urushizaki | 21–11, 13–21, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2021 | French Open | Super 750 | Akane Yamaguchi | 18–21, 12–21 | Runner-up |

### BWF Grand Prix (3 titles, 3 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 singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2012 | Malaysia Grand Prix Gold | Busanan Ongbamrungphan | 17–21, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | Canada Open | Nozomi Okuhara | 8–21, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Australian Open | Nitchaon Jindapol | 24–22, 21–10 | Winner |
| 2014 | German Open | Sung Ji-hyun | 21–17, 8–21, 21–12 | Winner |
| 2015 | Malaysia Masters | Nozomi Okuhara | 13–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2017 | Vietnam Open | Vũ Thị Trang | 21–9, 21–14 | Winner |
    BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
    BWF Grand Prix tournament

### BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles)

Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2012 | Austrian International | Chan Tsz Ka | 21–17, 21–9 | Winner |
| 2012 | Osaka International | Yui Hashimoto | 22–20, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2012 | Maldives International | Yu Wakita | 21–17, 21–16 | Winner |
| 2012 | Scottish International | Kim Hyo-min | 21–6, 21–8 | Winner |
| 2015 | Portugal International | Aya Ohori | 21–13, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2015 | Osaka International | Sayaka Sato | 21–11, 15–21, 29–27 | Winner |
| 2016 | Malaysia International | Ho Yen Mei | 21–17, 21–11 | Winner |
| 2017 | Portugal International | Chisato Hoshi | 21–10, 21–15 | Winner |
| 2017 | Osaka International | Lee Jang-mi | 21–16, 21–18 | Winner |
    BWF International Challenge tournament
    BWF International Series tournament

## Record against selected opponents

Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 15 March 2022.
| Players | Matches | Results | Results | Difference |
| Players | Matches | Won | Lost | Difference |
| Petya Nedelcheva | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 |
| Chen Yufei | 8 | 0 | 8 | –8 |
| He Bingjiao | 4 | 1 | 3 | –2 |
| Li Xuerui | 8 | 2 | 6 | –4 |
| Wang Shixian | 6 | 0 | 6 | –6 |
| Wang Xin | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Wang Yihan | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Zhang Yiman | 5 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Cheng Shao-chieh | 2 | 0 | 2 | –2 |
| Tai Tzu-ying | 7 | 1 | 6 | –5 |
| Juliane Schenk | 1 | 0 | 1 | –1 |
| Yip Pui Yin | 6 | 6 | 0 | +6 |
| Saina Nehwal | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Players | Matches | Results | Results | Difference |
| Players | Matches | Won | Lost | Difference |
| P. V. Sindhu | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Lindaweni Fanetri | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Maria Kristin Yulianti | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Minatsu Mitani | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 |
| Nozomi Okuhara | 9 | 1 | 8 | –7 |
| Akane Yamaguchi | 7 | 0 | 7 | –7 |
| An Se-young | 2 | 0 | 2 | –2 |
| Bae Yeon-ju | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Sung Ji-hyun | 6 | 2 | 4 | –2 |
| Carolina Marín | 7 | 1 | 6 | –5 |
| Porntip Buranaprasertsuk | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ratchanok Intanon | 10 | 4 | 6 | –2 |