Nao Yamakita

Nao Yamakita
Yamakita at the 2025 Kaohsiung Masters
Personal information
Born (2005-10-30) 30 October 2005
Height1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Sport
CountryJapan
SportBadminton
HandednessRight
Coached byMizuki Fujii
Naru Shinoya
Women's doubles
Career record78 wins, 17 losses (82.11%)
Highest ranking37 (with Hinata Suzuki, 18 November 2025)
Current ranking41 (with Hinata Suzuki, 9 December 2025)
BWF profile
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
World Junior Championships
2022 Santander Mixed team
2023 Spokane Girls' doubles
Asian Junior Championships
2023 Yogyakarta Mixed team
2023 Yogyakarta Girls' doubles

Nao Yamakita (山北 奈緒, Yamakita Nao; born 30 October 2005) is a Japanese badminton player who specializes in women's doubles.[1] She is a member of the Japanese national team and plays for the NTT East team.[2] As a junior player, she won the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Junior Championships and a bronze medal at the 2023 World Junior Championships. Yamakita won her first World Tour title at the 2025 Korea Masters Super 300.

Achievements

World Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2023 The Podium, Spokane, United States Mei Sudo Francesca Corbett
Allison Lee
21–18, 16–21, 13–21 Bronze [3]

Asian Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2023 Among Rogo Sports Hall, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Mei Sudo Park Seul
Yeon Seo-yeon
21–19, 14–21, 23–21 Gold [4]

BWF World Tour (1 title, 1 runner-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[5] 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, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[6]

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2025 Kaohsiung Masters Super 100 Hinata Suzuki Ririna Hiramoto
Kokona Ishikawa
16–21, 17–21 Runner-up [7]
2025 Korea Masters Super 300 Hinata Suzuki Kim So-yeong
Lee Seo-jin
21–18, 25–23 Winner [8]

BWF International Challenge/Series (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2023 Guatemala Future Series Mei Sudo Tomoka Miyazaki
Maya Taguchi
16–21, 21–14, 25–23 Winner [9]
2024 Malaysia International Naru Shinoya Hinata Suzuki
An Uesugi
21–13, 12–21, 21–17 Winner [10]
2025 Northern Marianas Open Hinata Suzuki Ririna Hiramoto
Kokona Ishikawa
17–21, 15–21 Runner-up [11][12]
2025 Saipan International Hinata Suzuki Nanako Hara
Riko Kiyose
15–13, 8–15, 15–11 Winner [13][14]

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2023 Guatemala Future Series Kenta Matsukawa Daigo Tanioka
Maya Taguchi
18–21, 19–21 Runner-up [9]
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

BWF Junior International (2 titles, 3 runners-up)

Girls' doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref
2022 Croatia Junior Open Maya Taguchi Rui Kiyama
Kanano Muroya
19–21, 19–21 Runner-up [15]
2022 Bulgaria Junior Open Maya Taguchi Rui Kiyama
Kanano Muroya
14–21, 21–19, 17–21 Runner-up [16]
2022 Malaysia Junior International Maya Taguchi Rui Kiyama
Kanano Muroya
19–21, 17–21 Runner-up [17]
2023 German Junior Mei Sudo Li Huazhou
Zhang Yuhan
21–11, 19–21, 21–18 Winner [18]
2023 Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Mei Sudo Ariella Naqiyyah
Rachel Agnesia Sabatini
21–17, 21–9 Winner [19]
  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament
  BWF Junior International Challenge tournament
  BWF Junior International Series tournament

References

  1. ^ "Nao YAMAKITA | Profile". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Nao YAMAKITA | Profile" (in Japanese). NTT East. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Corbett and Lee Chase Gold Medal for USA at BWF World Junior Championships 2023". USA Badminton. 8 October 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  4. ^ "A Special Day for Indonesia in Yogyakarta". Badminton Asia. 16 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  5. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  6. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Kaohsiung Masters 2025 [Super 100] | Results". NTT East (in Japanese). 29 September 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  8. ^ "【韓国マスターズ Super 300】女子複:鈴木 陽向/山北 奈緒が優勝!!". SMASH and NET. TV - バドミントン情報&動画 SMASH and NET. TV (in Japanese). TMONY Japan Corporation. 9 November 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Champions in Guatemala – Pan Am Circuit 2023". Badminton Pan America. 26 June 2023. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Men's Doubles Pair Miss Out On Title At Petronas Malaysia International Badminton Challenge 2024". Bernama. 22 September 2024. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Japan Dominates Finals at CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open". Badminton Oceania. 11 August 2025. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  12. ^ Sablan Jr., James (12 August 2025). "Japan sweeps Crowne Plaza badminton titles". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Champions Crowned at CENTURY INSURANCE Saipan International 2025 – Finals Recap". Badminton Oceania. 16 August 2025. Archived from the original on 16 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  14. ^ Sablan Jr., James (18 August 2025). "Japan, Korea, and India claim badminton titles in Century Insurance tourney". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  15. ^ Galjer, Ratko (21 June 2022). "New talents at the Croatia VALAMAR Junior Open 2022". Badminton Europe. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  16. ^ Honda, Hiroki (27 June 2022). "Bulgaria Junior Open 2022 | Results". Badminton Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  17. ^ Peter, Fabian (10 September 2022). "Juniors need a booster shot". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  18. ^ "YONEX German Junior: Japan, China and Korea win" (in German). 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Jonatan/Adrian Win 2023 Jaya Raya Junior International Grand Prix" (in Indonesian). Media Indonesia. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.