Natsu Saito
Natsu Saito is a Japanese badminton player. As of 2025, she is affiliated with the Plenty Global Linx badminton team. Saito is a mixed doubles specialist, best known for her partnership with Hiroki Midorikawa. Together, they reached a career-high world ranking of 7, won two World Tour Super 500 titles, and secured the silver medal at the 2025 Asian Championships.
Career
2015–2018: Junior career
Saito made her international debut at the junior level in 2015, reaching the final of the girls' doubles at the Asian U17 Junior Championships with Rumi Yoshida. In 2017, she represented Japan at the World Junior Championships, helping the team secure a bronze medal. That same year, she won the mixed doubles title at the India Junior International with Takuma Obayashi.In 2018, Saito and partner Hiroki Midorikawa won the mixed doubles title at the German Junior. She was also part of the Japanese squads that won silver at the Asian Junior Championships and a bronze at the World Junior Championships.
2019–2020: Senior debut
Saito began competing in senior international tournaments in 2019. In mixed doubles with Midorikawa, she won titles at the Waikato International and the Vietnam International. She also competed in women's doubles with Naru Shinoya, winning the Malaysia International and reaching the final of the Indonesia International. Additionally, she reached the final of the White Nights tournament with Minami Kawashima. By March 2020, Saito reached a career-high world ranking of 127 in women's doubles.2021–2022: International Challenge titles and Super 100 final
In October 2021, Saito and Midorikawa won the mixed doubles title at the Belgian International. The pair defended this title during the 2022 season. In September 2022, they reached the final of the Super 100 Canada Open, finishing as runners-up. Saito competed in her first Super 500 event at the Korea Open in April 2022, reaching the quarterfinals. In women's doubles, she reached the semifinals of the Bendigo International with Kawashima.2023: First World Tour title
Saito and Midorikawa began 2023 by reaching the semifinal of the Thailand Masters. In July, they won their first World Tour title at the Super 500 Canada Open, defeating the Danish pair Mathias Thyrri and Amalie Magelund. The following month, Saito reached the final of the Super 500 Australian Open, finishing as runner-up to Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. In the latter half of the season, she reached the semifinal at both the Hong Kong Open and the Arctic Open.2024: Super 500 final and first World Tour Finals
Saito and Midorikawa opened the season with a quarterfinal finish at the Malaysia Open. In late January, they reached the final of the Super 500 Indonesia Masters, finishing as runners-up to the Chinese pair Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong. Throughout the year, Saito achieved semifinal results at the Thailand Masters and the Baoji China Masters, as well as quarterfinal appearances at the China Open and the Japan Masters. She concluded the season by qualifying for the [2024 BWF World Tour Finals|BWF BWF World Tour|World Tour Finals] in December, where the pair was eliminated in the group stage.2025: Super 500 title and partnership conclusion
Saito and Midorikawa began the 2025 season with quarterfinal finishes at the Malaysia Open and India Open. In late January, the pair won the Super 500 Indonesia Masters title, defeating Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui in straight games. In March, Saito transferred to the Plenty Global Linx badminton team. At the Asian Championships in Ningbo, she and Midorikawa advanced to the final but were defeated by Hong Kong's Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet, securing the silver medal. Saito also represented Japan in team events, winning bronze medals at both the Asia Mixed Team Championships in February and the Sudirman Cup in April. Later in the season, the pair reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships and the semifinals of the Denmark Open. In October, they achieved a career-high world ranking of 7. Saito and Midorikawa concluded their partnership at the BWF World Tour Finals in December, where they advanced to the semifinals.2026: New partnership
Following the conclusion of her partnership with Hiroki Midorikawa, Saito formed a new mixed doubles pair with Akira Koga. The pair made their international debut at the season-opening Malaysia Open, where they advanced to the second round after defeating compatriots Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara.Achievements
Asian Championships
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Ningbo, China |  BWF World Tour (2 titles, 3 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. The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.Mixed doubles
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