Yonex Canada Open 2026 wraps up with a Japanese sweep

The Yonex Canada Open, which drew more than 240 players from 30 countries to the Markham Pan Am Centre, wrapped up with a Japanese sweep.

After more than 200 matches, Japan was the first nation to sweep the Yonex Canada Open podium since England in 2004, when the Canada Open was held in Vancouver, B.C., Badminton Canada reports

“With seven days of non-stop rallies, saves and performances from global stars and hometown athletes alike, the tournament left fans with unforgettable memories and a deep sense of pride,” it notes.

Both Michelle Li and Victor Lai fought their way to the Women’s and Men’s Singles Semifinals. Other Canadian athletes included Brian Yang, Wendy Zhang, Rachel Chan, Chloe Hoang, Ty Lindeman, Kevin Lee, Jonathan Lai, Nyl Yakura, Timothy Lock, Jackie Dent, Crystal Lai and Eliana Zhang.

Here’s a list of the winners, all from Japan, by event: Men’s Singles: Yudai Okimoto; Women’s Singles: Riko Gunji; Men’s Doubles: Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita; Women’s Doubles: Hinata Suzuki and Nao Yamakita; and Mixed Doubles: Akira Koga and Natsu Saito.

“The Yonex Canada Open 2026 was a fantastic success,” says Badminton Canada Executive Director Bryan Merrett. “The community rallied behind the event and brought energy and excitement. Thank you Markham, spectators, volunteers, players, coaches and officials.”

File photo of Michelle Li, one of the elite athletes at this year’s Yonex Canada Open tournament, courtesy of Badminton Canada.