# Badminton at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles

The women's doubles badminton tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place from 24 July to 2 August at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza at Tokyo. There were 16 pairs (32 players) from 14 nations competing.
Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu of Indonesia won the gold medal. It was their first Olympic medal, the country's first from badminton women's doubles, and the only gold won by the contingent in 2020 Olympics. Indonesia also became the second country to have medaled in each of the five Olympic badminton events, after China completed the feat at the 2012 Olympics.

## Background

This was the 8th appearance of the event as a full medal event. Badminton was introduced as a demonstration sport in 1972 (without women's doubles), held again as an exhibition sport in 1988, and added to the full programme in 1992; the women's doubles tournament had been held since.
The reigning champions were Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan, who were not defending their title following Takahashi's retirement. Japan has two of the three top-ranked qualifiers, however, with Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota (#1) and Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara (#3). Matsumoto and Nagahara were the reigning world champions, defeating Fukushima and Hirota in the final. China, which had won 5 of the previous 7 editions of the women's doubles, had the #2-ranked pair Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan.

## Qualification

The badminton qualification system provided for 16 women's doubles teams (32 players). Following revisions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the qualifying periods were 29 April 2019 to 15 March 2020 and 4 January to 13 June 2021, with the ranking list of 15 June 2021 controlling qualification.
Qualification was done entirely through the ranking list. Nations with at least two pairs in the top 8 were able to send a maximum of 2 pairs (4 players); all other nations were limited to a single pair. Pairs were taken from the ranking list in order, respecting those national limits, until 16 pairs were selected. However, each continent was guaranteed to have at least one pair with the lowest-ranking pairs displaced if necessary to make room for a continental guarantee.

## Competition format

The tournament started with a group phase round-robin. There were four groups of four teams each; the top two highest-ranked pairs from each group advanced to a knockout stage. The knockout stage was a three-round single-elimination tournament with a bronze medal match.
Matches were played best-of-three games. Each game was played to 21, except that a pair must win by 2 unless the score reached 30–29.

## Seeds

* Yuki Fukushima / Sayaka Hirota (JPN) (quarter-finals)
* Chen Qingchen / Jia Yifan (CHN) (silver medalists)
* Mayu Matsumoto / Wakana Nagahara (JPN) (quarter-finals)
* Lee So-hee / Shin Seung-chan (KOR) (fourth place)

## Schedule

The tournament was held over a 10-day period, with 7 competition days and 3 open days.
| P | Preliminaries | QF | Quarter-finals | SF | Semi-finals | M | Medal matches |
| Date | 24 Jul | 24 Jul | 25 Jul | 25 Jul | 26 Jul | 26 Jul | 27 Jul | 27 Jul | 28 Jul | 28 Jul | 29 Jul | 29 Jul | 30 Jul | 30 Jul | 31 Jul | 31 Jul | 1 Aug | 1 Aug | 2 Aug | 2 Aug |
| Event | M | E | M | E | M | E | M | E | M | E | M | E | M | A | M | E | A | E | A | E |
| Women's doubles | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | | | | QF | | | SF | | | | M | |

## Group stage
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Greysia Polii (INA) Apriyani Rahayu (INA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 142 | 106 | +36 | 3 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 2 | Yuki Fukushima (JPN) Sayaka Hirota (JPN) (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 152 | 129 | +23 | 2 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 3 | Chow Mei Kuan (MAS) Lee Meng Yean (MAS) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 117 | 136 | −19 | 1 | |
| 4 | Chloe Birch (GBR) Lauren Smith (GBR) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 86 | 126 | −40 | 0 | |
| Date | Time | Pair 1 | Score | Pair 2 | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
| 24 July | 09:00 | Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu | 2–0 Archived 30 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Chow Mei Kuan Lee Meng Yean | 21–14 | 21–17 | |
| 24 July | 20:40 | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 2–0 Archived 29 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Chloe Birch Lauren Smith | 21–13 | 21–14 | |
| 25 July | 19:20 | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 2–1 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Chow Mei Kuan Lee Meng Yean | 17–21 | 21–15 | 21–8 |
| 26 July | 18:00 | Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu | 2–0 Archived 27 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Chloe Birch Lauren Smith | 21–11 | 21–13 | |
| 27 July | 10:40 | Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota | 1–2 Archived 27 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu | 22–24 | 21–13 | 8–21 |
| 27 July | 10:40 | Chow Mei Kuan Lee Meng Yean | 2–0 Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Chloe Birch Lauren Smith | 21–19 | 21–16 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Mayu Matsumoto (JPN) Wakana Nagahara (JPN) (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 143 | 105 | +38 | 3 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 2 | Selena Piek (NED) Cheryl Seinen (NED) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 137 | 111 | +26 | 2 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 3 | Rachel Honderich (CAN) Kristen Tsai (CAN) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 150 | 125 | +25 | 1 | |
| 4 | Doha Hany (EGY) Hadia Hosny (EGY) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 37 | 126 | −89 | 0 | |
| Date | Time | Pair 1 | Score | Pair 2 | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
| 24 July | 18:00 | Mayu Matsumoto Wakana Nagahara | 2–0 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Doha Hany Hadia Hosny | 21–7 | 21–3 | |
| 24 July | 18:40 | Selena Piek Cheryl Seinen | 2–1 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Rachel Honderich Kristen Tsai | 16–21 | 21–14 | 21–15 |
| 25 July | 20:00 | Mayu Matsumoto Wakana Nagahara | 2–1 Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Rachel Honderich Kristen Tsai | 14–21 | 21–19 | 21–18 |
| 26 July | 19:20 | Selena Piek Cheryl Seinen | 2–0 Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Doha Hany Hadia Hosny | 21–6 | 21–10 | |
| 27 July | 18:00 | Mayu Matsumoto Wakana Nagahara | 2–0 Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Selena Piek Cheryl Seinen | 24–22 | 21–15 | |
| 27 July | 18:40 | Rachel Honderich Kristen Tsai | 2–0 Archived 27 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Doha Hany Hadia Hosny | 21–5 | 21–6 | |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Lee So-hee (KOR) Shin Seung-chan (KOR) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 144 | 104 | +40 | 2 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 2 | Du Yue (CHN) Li Yinhui (CHN) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 115 | 91 | +24 | 2 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 3 | Setyana Mapasa (AUS) Gronya Somerville (AUS) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 91 | 136 | −45 | 1 | |
| 4 | Maiken Fruergaard (DEN) Sara Thygesen (DEN) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 138 | 157 | −19 | 1 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head point: South Korea 1, China 0.
* 1 2 Head-to-head point: Australia 1, Denmark 0.
| Date | Time | Pair 1 | Score | Pair 2 | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
| 24 July | 11:00 | Du Yue Li Yinhui | 2–0 Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Maiken Fruergaard Sara Thygesen | 21–13 | 21–15 | |
| 24 July | 18:40 | Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan | 2–0 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Setyana Mapasa Gronya Somerville | 21–9 | 21–6 | |
| 25 July | 13:20 | Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan | 1–2 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Maiken Fruergaard Sara Thygesen | 21–15 | 19–21 | 20–22 |
| 26 July | 20:00 | Du Yue Li Yinhui | 2–0 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Setyana Mapasa Gronya Somerville | 21–9 | 21–12 | |
| 27 July | 11:20 | Maiken Fruergaard Sara Thygesen | 1–2 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Setyana Mapasa Gronya Somerville | 19–21 | 21–13 | 12–21 |
| 27 July | 20:00 | Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan | 2–0 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Du Yue Li Yinhui | 21–19 | 21–12 | |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | GF | GA | GD | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 145 | 100 | +45 | 3 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 2 | Kim So-yeong (KOR) Kong Hee-yong (KOR) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 161 | 158 | +3 | 2 | Advance to quarter-finals |
| 3 | Gabriela Stoeva (BUL) Stefani Stoeva (BUL) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 147 | 156 | −9 | 1 | |
| 4 | Jongkolphan Kititharakul (THA) Rawinda Prajongjai (THA) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 106 | 145 | −39 | 0 | |
| Date | Time | Pair 1 | Score | Pair 2 | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
| 24 July | 11:40 | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 2–0 Archived 24 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Jongkolphan Kititharakul Rawinda Prajongjai | 21–6 | 21–10 | |
| 24 July | 11:40 | Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong | 2–1 Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva | 21–23 | 21–12 | 23–21 |
| 25 July | 10:40 | Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong | 2–0 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Jongkolphan Kititharakul Rawinda Prajongjai | 21–19 | 24–22 | |
| 26 July | 13:20 | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 2–0 Archived 25 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva | 21–18 | 21–15 | |
| 27 July | 12:00 | Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan | 2–1 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong | 19–21 | 21–16 | 21–14 |
| 27 July | 19:20 | Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva | 2–1 Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine | Jongkolphan Kititharakul Rawinda Prajongjai | 21–11 | 16–21 | 21–17 |

## Finals

The quarter-finals were held on 29 July 2021, the semi-finals on 31 July, and the medal matches on 2 August 2021.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match |
| A1 | Greysia Polii (INA) Apriyani Rahayu (INA) | 21 | 20 | 21 | | | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Du Yue (CHN) Li Yinhui (CHN) | 15 | 22 | 17 | | | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Du Yue (CHN) Li Yinhui (CHN) | 15 | 22 | 17 | A1 | Greysia Polii (INA) Apriyani Rahayu (INA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | |
| | | | | | C1 | Lee So-hee (KOR) Shin Seung-chan (KOR) | 19 | 17 | | | | | |
| C1 | Lee So-hee (KOR) Shin Seung-chan (KOR) | 21 | 21 | | C1 | Lee So-hee (KOR) Shin Seung-chan (KOR) | 19 | 17 | | | | | |
| B2 | Selena Piek (NED) Cheryl Seinen (NED) | 8 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | |
| B2 | Selena Piek (NED) Cheryl Seinen (NED) | 8 | 17 | | | | | | A1 | Greysia Polii (INA) Apriyani Rahayu (INA) | 21 | 21 | |
| | | | | | | | | | D1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 19 | 15 | |
| D2 | Kim So-yeong (KOR) Kong Hee-yong (KOR) | 21 | 14 | 28 | | | | | | | | | | D1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 19 | 15 |
| B1 | Mayu Matsumoto (JPN) Wakana Nagahara (JPN) | 14 | 21 | 26 | | | | |
| B1 | Mayu Matsumoto (JPN) Wakana Nagahara (JPN) | 14 | 21 | 26 | D2 | Kim So-yeong (KOR) Kong Hee-yong (KOR) | 15 | 11 | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| | | | | | D1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 21 | 21 |
| A2 | Yuki Fukushima (JPN) Sayaka Hirota (JPN) | 21 | 10 | 10 | D1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 21 | 21 | C1 | Lee So-hee (KOR) Shin Seung-chan (KOR) | 10 | 17 | |
| D1 | Chen Qingchen (CHN) Jia Yifan (CHN) | 18 | 21 | 21 | | | | | D2 | Kim So-yeong (KOR) Kong Hee-yong (KOR) | 21 | 21 | |