(15 November 1948 – 7 September 2011 in Tokyo) was a Japanese badminton player. She won numerous major international titles from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. She is recognized as one of Japan's most successful badminton players, having won the women's singles title at the All England Open four times. In 2002, she became the first Japanese player to be inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame.

Early life Yuki was born in Hiroshima Prefecture and raised in Okayama Prefecture, where she began playing badminton during junior high school. She won her first national inter-high school championship while attending Sanyo Girls' High School. She subsequently enrolled at the Japan Women's College of Physical Education and later played for the Kawasaki corporate team.

Career She became a core member of the Japanese national team, helping the country win the Uber Cup five times between 1966 and 1981.Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlative Ltd., 1983) 133-136.

Before the establishment of the World Championships in 1977, the All England Open was considered the premier individual tournament in the sport. In 1969, while still a university student, Yuki made history by becoming the first Japanese player to win an All England Open title in any discipline when she captured the women's singles crown. She went on to dominate the event, winning the title again in 1974, 1975, and 1977. In 1971, she also won the All England Open women's doubles title partnered with Noriko Takagi.Pat Davis, Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1983), pp. 106, 108. Her 1969 singles victory and 1971 doubles victory cemented her legacy as the first Asian woman to claim these titles at the venerated Wembley Arena.

During a European tour in March 1970, Yuki suffered a major injury shortly before she was scheduled to defend her All England Open title. On 10 March, while competing in the women's doubles at the Denmark Open partner with West Germany's Marieluise Wackerow, she tore her left Achilles tendon. Following surgery and a two-week hospitalization in Denmark, she returned to Japan for rehabilitation. Her recovery progressed quickly; her cast was removed in late April, and she resumed international competition by December 1970, winning the women's singles gold medal at the Asian Games in Bangkok.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where badminton was featured as a demonstration sport, Yuki won a bronze medal in the women's singles. Towards the end of her competitive career, she also earned a women's singles bronze medal at the inaugural IBF World Championships in 1977. She retired from competitive play in 1981.

Personal life and death Following her retirement, Yuki served as a coach for her alma mater, the Japan Women's College of Physical Education, and its affiliated Nikaido High School. She met the popular Japanese enka singer Kenji Niinuma after being invited to coach a badminton club in his hometown of Ofunato, Iwate. After five years of dating, Yuki and Niinuma announced their engagement on 21 January 1986 and married in March that year, after which she became known as Hiroe Niinuma. They later had one son and one daughter. She also served as a strengthening committee member for the Nippon Badminton Association.

In 2004, Niinuma was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery. Although she recovered and continued to play badminton recreationally, she later developed lung cancer. She died at a hospital in Tokyo on 7 September 2011, at the age of 62.

Honours and awards Asahi: Sports Award with the Uber Cup team (1969). Asahi: Sports Award for winning All England (1977). Asahi: Sports Award with the Uber Cup team (1978). Badminton Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2002.

Achievements Olympic Games (demonstration) Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1972 Volleyballhalle, Munich, West Germany Utami Dewi 5–11, 9–11 Bronze

World Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Gillian Gilks 4–11, 7–11 Bronze

World Cup Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1979 Yoyogi National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan Lene Køppen 7–11, 6–11 Silver 1980 Kyoto Prefectural Gymnasium, Kyoto, Japan Lene Køppen 4–11, 10–12 Silver

Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1970 Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Thongkam Kingmanee 12–9, 11–8 Gold 1974 Amjadieh Sport Complex, Tehran, Iran Oh Youn-han 11–4, 11–2 Bronze

International tournaments Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1968 Singapore Open Noriko Takagi 7–11, 12–10, 4–11 Runner-up 1968 Malaysia Open Eva Twedberg 11–1, 11–6 Winner 1969 All England Open Noriko Takagi 11–5, 11–5 Winner 1969 Denmark Open Noriko Takagi 12–10, 11–2 Winner 1971 U. S. Open Noriko Takagi 5–11, 9–11 Runner-up 1971 Canada Open Noriko Takagi 12–9, 11–0 Winner 1971 Denmark Open Noriko Takagi 7–11, 4–11 Runner-up 1972 All England Open Noriko Nakayama 5–11, 11–3, 7–11 Runner-up 1973 Denmark Open Imre Rietveld 11–7, 11–6 Winner 1974 All England Open Gillian Gilks 11–6, 12–11 Winner 1974 Denmark Open Lene Køppen 11–4, 9–12, 12–9 Winner 1975 All England Open Gillian Gilks 11–5, 11–9 Winner 1977 All England Open Lene Køppen 7–11, 11–3, 11–7 Winner 1977 Denmark Open Joke van Beusekom 11–4, 11–8 Winner 1979 Denmark Open Lene Køppen 8–11, 11–7, 2–11 Runner-up 1981 German Open Sally Leadbeater 12–11, 11–9 Winner

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1968 Malaysia Open Noriko Takagi Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 11–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1968 Singapore Open Noriko Takagi Rosalind Singha Ang Eva Twedberg 15–6, 15–11 Winner 1969 Denmark Open Noriko Takagi Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi 15–9, 15–9 Winner 1971 All England Open Noriko Takagi Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman 15–10, 18–13 Winner 1971 U. S. Open Noriko Takagi Ethel Marshall Dorothy O'Neil 15–8, 15–2 Winner 1971 Canada Open Noriko Takagi Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 9–1 retired Winner 1971 Denmark Open Noriko Takagi Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 15–10, 15–3 Winner 1972 Denmark Open Noriko Nakayama Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 15–11, 11–15, 17–15 Winner

Invitational tournament Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1974 (Glasgow) World Invitational Championships Lene Køppen 10–12, 11–6, 12–9 Gold 1974 (Jakarta) World Invitational Championships Etsuko Takenaka 11–6, 10–12, 11–2 Bronze 1975 World Invitational Championships Taty Sumirah 11–8, 11–7 Gold

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