Jiro Sato
Encyclopedia
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from Japan. He graduated from Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
. He was ranked World No.3 in 1933, but committed suicide in Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 to 1511.-Extent:...
during his trip to Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
1934.
Jiro Sato reached Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
Men's singles semifinals five times, still the best record in history of Japanese tennis.
- French ChampionshipsFrench Open (tennis)The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
: Singles semifinalist 1931 and 1933 - WimbledonThe Championships, WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
: Singles semifinalist 1932 and 1933, Men's Doubles finalist 1933 (Partner Ryosuke Nunoi, lost to Jean BorotraJean BorotraJean Robert Borotra was a French champion tennis player. He was one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Career:...
and Jacques BrugnonJacques BrugnonJacques "Toto" Brugnon was a French tennis player, one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.He was born in Paris and died in Paris....
) - Australian ChampionshipsAustralian OpenThe Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
: Singles semifinalist, Mixed doubles finalist (Partner Meryl O'Hara Wood), both in 1932
He received worldwide fame in Wimbledon 1932, when he beat the defending champion Sidney Wood
Sidney Wood
Sidney Wood was an American tennis player.Wood was born in Black Rock, Connecticut. He won the Arizona State Men’s Tournament on his 14th birthday, which qualified him for the French Championship and led to him earning a spot at Wimbledon He attended The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania,...
at the quarterfinal. (In the semifinal, he lost to Henry Austin.) His peak came in 1933, when he beat Fred Perry
Fred Perry
Frederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
in the French Open quarterfinal. He was ranked World No.3 by an English critic of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
. (Ranked No.1: Jack Crawford
Jack Crawford (tennis player)
----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales...
, No.2: Fred Perry
Fred Perry
Frederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
) However, it got more and more difficult for him to endure enormous pressure from Japan. That drove him to throw himself into the Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 to 1511.-Extent:...
on April 5, 1934, at 26 years of age.
Grand Slam performance timeline
| Tournament | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Championships French Open (tennis) The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are... |
SF | 4r | SF | 13-3 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
QF | SF | SF | 14-3 |
| US Championships U.S. Open (tennis) The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881... |
- | 2r | 4r | 2–2 |
| Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
- | SF | - | 3–1 |
| Grand Slam W-L | 9–2 | 11-4 | 12-3 | 32-9 |
Grand Slam singles semifinals
- 1931 French ChampionshipsFrench Open (tennis)The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
: lost Jean BorotraJean BorotraJean Robert Borotra was a French champion tennis player. He was one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Career:...
10-8, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 - 1932 WimbledonThe Championships, WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
: lost Bunny Austin 7–5, 6–2, 6–1 - 1932 Australian ChampionshipsAustralian OpenThe Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
: lost Harry HopmanHarry HopmanHenry Christian Hopman, CBE was a world-acclaimed Australian-American tennis player and coach, born in Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales, and soon moving to Parramatta, a city adjoining Sydney and now effectively a suburb of the metropolis.Hopman was a student at Rosehill Public Primary school...
0–6, 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 - 1933 French ChampionshipsFrench Open (tennis)The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
: lost Jack CrawfordJack Crawford (tennis player)----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales...
6–0, 6–2, 6–2 - 1933 WimbledonThe Championships, WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
: lost Jack CrawfordJack Crawford (tennis player)----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales...
6–3, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
External links
- Davis Cup Records
- Wimbledon Men's Doubles (See 1933)
- Australian Open Records (French site, click "Double mixte " and see 1932)