is a Japanese badminton player who is a doubles specialist. Alongside her long-time partner Ayaka Takahashi, she secured Japan's first-ever gold medal in badminton at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The victory credited with effectively breaking the prolonged Chinese dominance in the women's doubles discipline. Matsutomo and Takahashi excellence was formally recognized by the Badminton World Federation when they were named the 2017 Female Player of the Year. Reaching the World No. 1 ranking, Matsutomo became renowned for her technical mastery of the front court, utilizing sophisticated net play, rapid interceptions, and precise shuttle placement to dictate the tempo of international matches.

Matsutomo individual honors include several titles, most notably two BWF year-end finals titles in 2014 and 2018. Within the continental championships, Matsutomo is a two-time Asian Champion, having secured gold medals in 2016 and 2017. Her competitive consistency is further evidenced by two silver medals at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, as well a bronze at the 2017 BWF World Championships. At the international team level, Matsutomo has been a cornerstone of the Japanese national squad since her debut. Her contributions were instrumental during Japan's period of global supremacy, highlighted by the team's triumph at the 2018 Uber Cup and a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games team event.

Career

In 2016, she won the women's doubles gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She and her women's doubles partner Ayaka Takahashi were also honored with the Female Player of the Year award. They have been playing together for more than ten years, ever since they were schoolmates. Matsutomo and Takahashi became the first non-Chinese pair to win the women's Olympic doubles title since the 1996 Atlanta Games, giving Japan its second medal in the event after Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa won silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

In 2017, in her fifth appearance at the World Championships, Matsutomo finally secured a medal by winning a bronze in the women's doubles with Takahashi. Appearing in the deciding match at the 2017 Sudirman Cup, Matsutomo and Takahashi failed to score a point for Japan, so they were eliminated in the semi-finals and settled for a bronze medal.

In 2018, Matsutomo helps the national team to win the Asia Team Championships title.

In 2025, Matsutomo returned to compete in the women's doubles stage partnering Chiharu Shida.

Honours and awards Medal with Purple Ribbon awarded by the Emperor of Japan: Individual Sports with Ayaka Takahashi (2016). BWF Awards: Female Player of the Year with Ayaka Takahashi (2016). Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Sports Award: Excellence Award with Ayaka Takahashi (2016).

Achievements

Olympic Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2016 Riocentro - Pavilion 4,Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ayaka Takahashi Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 18–21, 21–9, 21–19 Gold

World Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2017 Emirates Arena,Glasgow, Scotland Ayaka Takahashi Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 17–21, 15–21 Bronze

Asian Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2014 Gyeyang Gymnasium,Incheon, South Korea Ayaka Takahashi Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Greysia Polii 15–21, 9–21 Silver 2018 Istora Gelora Bung Karno,Jakarta, Indonesia Ayaka Takahashi Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 20–22, 20–22 Silver

Asian Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2015 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Ayaka Takahashi Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 Bronze 2016 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Ayaka Takahashi Naoko Fukuman Kurumi Yonao 21–13, 21–15 Gold 2017 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Ayaka Takahashi Kim Hye-rin Yoo Hae-won 21–19, 16–21, 21–10 Gold 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Ayaka Takahashi Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 18–21, 21–18, 15–21 Silver

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2015 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Kenichi Hayakawa Lee Chun Hei Chau Hoi Wah 17–21, 19–21 Bronze

World Junior Championships Girls' singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result Ref 2010 Domo del Code Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico Ratchanok Intanon 13–21, 21–16, 10–21 Silver

BWF World Tour (6 titles, 8 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 doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2018 Indonesia Masters Super 500 Ayaka Takahashi Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu 21–17, 21–12 Winner 2018 Malaysia Open Super 750 Ayaka Takahashi Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 21–12, 21–12 Winner 2018 Thailand Open Super 500 Ayaka Takahashi Greysia Polii Apriyani Rahayu 13–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2018 China Open Super 1000 Ayaka Takahashi Mayu Matsumoto Wakana Nagahara 21–16, 21–12 Winner 2018 Korea Open Super 500 Ayaka Takahashi Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 21–11, 21–18 Winner 2018 BWF World Tour Finals World Tour Finals Ayaka Takahashi Lee So-hee Shin Seung-chan 21–12, 22–20 Winner 2019 Indonesia Masters Super 500 Ayaka Takahashi Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong 21–19, 21–15 Winner 2019 German Open Super 300 Ayaka Takahashi Du Yue Li Yinhui 20–22, 15–21 Runner-up 2019 New Zealand Open Super 300 Ayaka Takahashi Kim So-yeong Kong Hee-yong 15–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 Indonesia Open Super 1000 Ayaka Takahashi Yuki Fukushima Sayaka Hirota 16–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 China Open Super 1000 Ayaka Takahashi Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 14–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 Korea Masters Super 300 Ayaka Takahashi Nami Matsuyama Chiharu Shida 21–15, 17–21, 18–21 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2021 All England Open Super 1000 Yuki Kaneko Yuta Watanabe Arisa Higashino 14–21, 13–21 Runner-up 2023 Syed Modi International Super 300 Yuki Kaneko Dejan Ferdinansyah Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 22–20, 19–21, 23–25 Runner-up

BWF Superseries (9 titles, 13 runners-up) The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2012 Denmark Open Ayaka Takahashi Ma Jin Tang Jinhua 8–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2013 Malaysia Open Ayaka Takahashi Bao Yixin Tian Qing 16–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2013 Singapore Open Ayaka Takahashi Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 19–21, 16–21 Runner-up 2014 Malaysia Open Ayaka Takahashi Bao Yixin Tang Jinhua 19–21, 21–14, 13–21 Runner-up 2014 Japan Open Ayaka Takahashi Reika Kakiiwa Miyuki Maeda 21–13, 21–17 Winner 2014 Australian Open Ayaka Takahashi Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 15–21, 9–21 Runner-up 2014 Denmark Open Ayaka Takahashi Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang 14–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2014 Hong Kong Open Ayaka Takahashi Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 13–21, 13–21 Runner-up 2014 Dubai World Superseries Finals Ayaka Takahashi Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei 21–17, 21–14 Winner 2015 India Open Ayaka Takahashi Luo Ying Luo Yu 21–19, 21–19 Winner 2015 Singapore Open Ayaka Takahashi Ou Dongni Yu Xiaohan 17–21, 16–21 Runner-up 2015 China Open Ayaka Takahashi Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–18, 13–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2016 All England Open Ayaka Takahashi Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–10, 21–12 Winner 2016 India Open Ayaka Takahashi Naoko Fukuman Kurumi Yonao 21–18, 21–18 Winner 2016 Singapore Open Ayaka Takahashi Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Greysia Polii Walkover Runner-up 2016 Indonesia Open Ayaka Takahashi Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–15, 8–21, 21–15 Winner 2016 Japan Open Ayaka Takahashi Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 21–19, 18–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2016 Denmark Open Ayaka Takahashi Jung Kyung-eun Shin Seung-chan 19–21, 21–11, 21–16 Winner 2016 Dubai World Superseries Finals Ayaka Takahashi Chen Qingchen Jia Yifan 15–21, 21–13, 17–21 Runner-up 2017 Singapore Open Ayaka Takahashi Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 18–21, 21–14, 15–21 Runner-up 2017 Australian Open Ayaka Takahashi Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl 21–10, 21–13 Winner 2017 Japan Open Ayaka Takahashi Kim Ha-na Kong Hee-yong 21–18, 21–16 Winner BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries Premier tournament BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (6 titles, 2 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 doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2009 India Grand Prix Ayaka Takahashi Nadya Melati Devi Tika Permatasari 21–14, 15–21, 21–15 Winner 2011 Russian Open Ayaka Takahashi Valeri Sorokina Nina Vislova 20–22, 18–21 Runner-up 2012 U.S. Open Ayaka Takahashi Valeri Sorokina Nina Vislova 21–19, 21–17 Winner 2012 Canada Open Ayaka Takahashi Yuriko Miki Koharu Yonemoto 21–15, 15–21, 21–12 Winner 2012 Indonesia Grand Prix Gold Ayaka Takahashi Eom Hye-won Jang Ye-na 21–12, 12–21, 21–13 Winner 2014 German Open Ayaka Takahashi Jung Kyung-eun Kim Ha-na 23–21, 24–22 Winner 2016 Malaysia Masters Ayaka Takahashi Tang Yuanting Yu Yang 21–18, 22–20 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2012 U.S. Open Kenichi Hayakawa Tony Gunawan Vita Marissa 13–21, 10–21 Runner-up BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (2 titles, 4 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result Ref 2008 North Shore City International Sayaka Sato 18–21, 20–22 Runner-up 2009 Belgian International Yao Jie 14–21, 21–14, 16–21 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2009 Belgian International Ayaka Takahashi Emma Mason Samantha Ward 21–8, 18–21, 21–13 Winner 2009 Osaka International Ayaka Takahashi Kaori Mori Aya Wakisaka 21–16, 16–21, 24–22 Winner 2010 Osaka International Ayaka Takahashi Mizuki Fujii Reika Kakiiwa 19–21, 16–21 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2008 Waikato International Naomasa Senkyo Henry Tam Donna Haliday 13–21, 18–21 Runner-up BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series tournament

Performance timeline

National team Junior level Team event 2007 Asian Junior Championships B

Senior level Team events 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Asia Team Championships NH S NH G NH A NH A Asia Mixed Team Championships NH G NH A NH Asian Games NH B NH G NH Uber Cup B NH S NH B NH G NH S NH B Sudirman Cup NH QF NH S NH B NH S NH S NH

Individual competitions Junior level Girls' singles Event 2010 World Junior Championships S Mixed doubles Event 2010 World Junior Championships 2R

Senior level Women's singles Tournament BWF Superseries / Grand Prix Best 2009 2010 Malaysia Masters A QF QF ('10) Australian Open A 2R 2R ('10) Japan Open 1R A 1R ('09) Syed Modi International 2R A 2R ('09) China Masters 1R A 1R ('09) Year-end ranking 134 142 58 Tournament 2009 2010 Best

Women's doubles Event 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Asian Championships 1R A 1R A B G G S 1R Asian Games NHS NHS NH World Championships 3R NH 2R 3R 3R NH B 3R QF Olympic Games NH NH G NH