China Masters: Super 750 Glory at First Asking

Sumire Nakade and Miyu Takahashi needed just one shot at the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 level to make history.

The Japanese women’s pair continued their remarkable debut season at LI-NING China Masters 2026, beating fellow Super 750 debutants Bao Li Jing/Cao Zi Han 21-18 21-18 to claim their first title at this level.

“It feels unbelievable,” the 22-year-old Nakade said after the breakthrough triumph, while Takahashi, 24, admitted she was “very happy” despite a “tense final”.

The victory adds another chapter to a sublime run for the pair, who have lost just twice since winning their first HSBC BWF World Tour event at the Orleans Masters in March. They have since lifted the US and Taipei Open titles, making it four victories from six World Tour tournaments.

Against Bao/Cao, Nakade and Takahashi held their nerve when opportunities arose, refusing to surrender momentum when put under pressure.

“The most important thing was that our opponents fought tenaciously but we didn’t let go of any opportunities,” Nakade said. “We were able to consistently produce our style of play.”

Bao admitted her opponents “just played well”.

“They were probably enjoying themselves more than we were. When we lost points, we kept thinking we had played to their strengths. But we must acknowledge those are their technical specialties. They just played well.”

Nakade/Takahashi have now become the third Japanese pair to win the China Masters, following Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota in 2019 and Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida in 2023. They are also the first unseeded women’s doubles champions since Bao Yixin/Yu Xiaohan in 2017.