In a heartfelt announcement that has left fans emotional, Japan’s celebrated mixed doubles pair, Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino, revealed that they will be parting ways after 13 years of playing together.
The news shared through her official social media channels, has quickly garnered attention, especially as Higashino took the opportunity to express her deep gratitude to their Malaysian coach, Jeremy Gan Wye Teck.
“Best Coach in the World”
Higashino, who has been a crucial part of the “Watagashi Pair” thanked Coach Jeremy for his immense contribution to their success, crediting him with transforming their athletic careers.
She shared how Jeremy’s arrival marked a turning point for the duo, saying, “Coach Jeremy’s arrival completely changed our athletic careers.”
He sincerely listened to them, communicated extensively with them, and became an incredibly important presence in her life.
Mr. Jeremy is the best coach in the world.”
The duo’s journey has been filled with both challenges and triumphs. Higashino reflected on their time together, expressing immense gratitude toward her partner, Yuta Watanabe, and acknowledging the unwavering support they’ve received from fans and supporters over the years.
We have been able to come this far thanks to the support and help of so many people, allowing us to keep going and continue our efforts,” she wrote.
Yuta Watanabe’s Take
On the other hand, Watanabe also shared his thoughts on the dissolution of the partnership, marking the end of an era for the pair.
In his announcement, Watanabe expressed deep gratitude, saying, “The 13 years of pairing up with Arisa have been a period of immense growth for me.
We shared every victory, defeat, joy, and sorrow on the badminton court together. I cannot express enough how grateful I am. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
He continued by giving credits to their fans’ unwavering support for being a large part of their achievements and growth.
I am deeply grateful for everything. Moving forward, I will continue to compete as a player and do my best to contribute to the badminton world, hoping to inspire future generations to choose badminton as a sport.”
Last match in Japan Open 2024
As they prepare for their final tournament together at the Daihatsu Japan Open 2024 on August 20th, Higashino made a heartfelt plea to fans, urging them to come out and support them one last time.
Please come to see the final tournament of the Watagashi Pair! We are looking forward to seeing you there!”
Watanabe echoed her sentiments, adding, “I look forward to seeing everyone at the Daihatsu Japan Open. It would mean the world to us if you could come and cheer us on at the Yokohama Arena!”
A Legacy of Achievements
The Watagashi Pair is recognized as Japan’s most successful mixed doubles team. Not only did they reach world number one in 2022, but they also became the first Japanese mixed doubles team in history to win an Olympic medal.
The pair claimed a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on their home turf and followed it up with another bronze at the recently concluded Paris Olympics.
In addition, the pair reached the finals of the World Badminton Championships twice, in 2021 and 2022, though they narrowly missed out on the gold, settling for silver both times. They also secured bronze medals at the World Championships in 2019 and 2023.
The duo was instrumental in helping the Japanese team to runner-up finishes in the Sudirman Cup, and the World Mixed Team Championships, in 2019 and 2021, and they also earned bronze in 2017 and 2023.
On the BWF World Tour, the WatagashiPair clinched 11 titles at the Super Series 500 level or higher, including three All England Open Super 1000 titles (2018, 2021, and 2022), the Hong Kong Open (Super 500) in 2018 and 2019, the Malaysia Masters (Super 500) in 2019, the Denmark Open (Super 1000) in 2021, the French Open (Super 750) in 2021, the India Open (Super 750) in 2023, the Japan Open (Super 750) in 2023, and the Malaysia Open (Super 1000) in 2024.
The news has left many in the badminton community reflecting on the legacy of the WatagashiPair, whose 13-year partnership has left an indelible mark on the sport.
As they bid farewell to this chapter of their careers, the impact of Coach Jeremy’s guidance and the duo’s unwavering determination will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.
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