Sumire Nakade and Miyu Takahashi capped their sensational debut season by winning the LI-NING China Masters 2026—claiming their first HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 crown on their very first attempt.
The Japanese pair defeated fellow Super 750 debutants Bao Li Jing/Cao Zi Han 21-18, 21-18 in a tense final, demonstrating steely nerves and a tactical edge. “It feels unbelievable,” said Nakade, 22, after the breakthrough triumph, while her partner Takahashi, 24, admitted she was “very happy” despite the tension.
This victory continues a remarkable run for Nakade and Takahashi, who have now won four of their six World Tour tournaments since lifting their first title at the Orleans Masters in March—also adding the US and Taipei Open trophies to their collection.
“The most important thing was that our opponents fought tenaciously but we didn’t let go of any opportunities,” Nakade explained. “We were able to consistently produce our style of play.”
Their historic win makes them the third Japanese women’s pair to capture the China Masters title, following Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (2019) and Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida (2023). They are also the first unseeded champions since 2017.
For Bao/Cao, the result was a lesson in resilience. “They were probably enjoying themselves more than we were,” Bao reflected. “We must acknowledge those are their technical specialties. They just played well.”
With a dream start to their partnership, Nakade and Takahashi have announced themselves as a force to watch at the highest levels of women’s doubles badminton.
Photo Credit: BWF / Badmintonphoto (@Badmintonphoto)
