Tokyo: Former World No. 2 men’s doubles player from Japan Kenichi Hayakawa has confirmed that he will retire from the Japan national badminton team.
Kenichi Hayakawa and his men’s doubles partner Hiroyuki Endo started their partnership in 2010, and have been the top men’s pair for their country for the last 6 years, they were also key members of Japan’s historic Thomas Cup-winning team in 2014.
In the individual event, Kenichi Hayakawa and Hiroyuki Endo were the winners of the 2011 Australian Open Grand Prix Gold, and the 2012 U.S. Open Grand Prix Gold. They also have a long list of impressive career runners-up finishes, such as winning second places at the 2013, 2014, and 2016 All England tournament. They also won the bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships.
Hayakawa was plagued by injury since the Rio Olympics, and has decided it’s time to quit after Japan Open that was concluded at the end of September.
The 30-year-old Hayakawa was another world class men’s doubles player to leave their respective national team following World No. 1 men’s doubles player Lee Yong-Dae left the Korean men’s doubles team after winning the Korean Open in early October, and two time Olympic champion Fu Haifeng of China is set to quit the national team by end of this year; while former World No. 1 men’s doubles player Koo Kien Keat of Malaysia will say goodbye to the sport completely by end of this year.
