China Masters: Hirota/Sakuramoto Finding Their Stride
For Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto, progress has come one tournament at a time.
· PREM KUMAR
On Friday at LI-NING China Masters 2026, the Japanese took another significant step, overcoming Benyapa Aimsaard/Nuntakarn Aimsaard 19-21 21-13 21-18 to reach their first Super 750 semifinal.
Remarkably, China is only their seventh tournament together. The partnership began at the All England in March, where they reached the quarterfinals, before going one better with a runners-up finish at the Malaysia Masters in May.
Their latest breakthrough, however, required patience and resilience. After dropping a tight opening game, Hirota and Sakuramoto gradually found their rhythm.