Riko Gunji (郡司莉子, Gunji Riko, born 31 July 2002) is a Japanese badminton player.[1]

Riko Gunji
郡司莉子
Personal information
CountryJapan
Born (2002-07-31) 31 July 2002 (age 21)
Ebina, Kanagawa, Japan
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
HandednessRight
Women's singles
Highest ranking36 (7 February 2023)
Current ranking36 (7 February 2023)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
Uber Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Bangkok Women's team
Asia Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2020 Manila Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Selangor Women's team
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Kazan Girls' singles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Markham Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Kazan Mixed team
Asian Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2018 Jakarta Mixed team
BWF profile

Career edit

Gunji was the finalist in the Under-15 at the 2016 Singapore Youth International Series. In the same tournament, she won the girls' doubles title with partner Akari Nakashizu.[2] She was the girls' singles Under-17 champion of 2017 Singapore Youth International Series beating Peeraya Khantaruangsakul of Thailand.[3] She won the bronze medal in 2018 BWF World Junior Championships mixed team event. In the girls' singles, she lost in the second round to China's Wang Zhiyi.

In 2019, she reached the final of Dutch Junior International where she earned second best position after losing to China's Han Qianxi. She lost another final at the India Junior International event to Thai player Benyapa Aimsaard. In 2019 World Junior Championships, she entered the tournament seeded 7th. She went on to stun several higher seeded players in the tournament. She defeated Thailand's Phittayaporn Chaiwan in semifinal, who was a top seeded player in 2 straight games. In the final she won the World Junior title, beating out China's Zhou Meng.[4]

Achievements edit

World Junior Championships edit

Girls' singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2019 Kazan Gymnastics Center, Kazan, Russia   Zhou Meng 21–13, 12–21, 21–14   Gold

BWF World Tour (2 runners-up) edit

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 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[6]

Women's singles

Year Tournament Level Opponent Score Result
2022 Indonesia Masters Super 100   Gao Fangjie 10–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2023 Kaohsiung Masters Super 100   Liang Ting-yu 20–22, 21–15, 14–21   Runner-up

BWF International Challenge/Series (5 titles, 3 runners-up) edit

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2021 Belgian International   Hsu Wen-chi 12–21, 21–16, 23–21   Winner
2022 Mexican International   Natsuki Nidaira 21–14, 19–21, 21–14   Winner
2022 Réunion Open   Natsuki Oie 21–5, 21–14   Winner
2022 Malang Indonesia International   Gao Fangjie 9–21, 11–21   Runner-up
2022 Norwegian International   Natsuki Nidaira 21–14, 18–21, 16–21   Runner-up
2022 Irish Open   Natsuki Nidaira 21–13, 21–11   Winner
2024 Thailand International   Mutiara Ayu Puspitasari 21–14, 21–15   Winner
2024 Luxembourg Open   Hina Akechi 16–21, 14–21   Runner-up
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

BWF Junior International (2 runners-up) edit

Girls' singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2019 Dutch Junior International   Han Qianxi 13–21, 21–23   Runner-up
2019 India Junior International   Benyapa Aimsaard 19–21, 21–18, 21–23   Runner-up
  BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament
  BWF Junior International Challenge tournament
  BWF Junior International Series tournament
  BWF Junior Future Series tournament

References edit

  1. ^ "郡司莉子" (in Japanese). Badminton Spirit. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Results – 2016 OUE Singapore Youth International Series". Badminton World Federation. 4 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Results – 2017 OUE Singapore Youth International Series". Badminton World Federation. 3 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Hat-trick For Vitidsarn – World Juniors Finals". Badminton World Federation. 13 October 2019.
  5. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  6. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

External links edit

Riko Gunji at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com