Naoko Kijimuta
Encyclopedia
Naoko Kijimuta is a Japanese tennis player, winner of 3 professional tournaments in doubles and a representative of Japan
in the Federation Cup
.
she ranked among the top tennis players in Japan, alongside such players as Kimiko Date
and Naoko Sawamatsu
. In 1995-1997 she figured in the top hundred in the world ranking in singles, taking a highest ranking in March 1997 - No. 44 (the season ended 1996 as the world's 50th best player.)
Naoko's best results include the semi-finals singles WTA Tour tournament in Jakarta
(defeated by the highest seeded Belgian Sabine Appelmans
) and Tokyo (Japan Open
) in 1996. Quarterfinals in Strasbourg
in 1997. Third round in the US Open 1996 and Wimbledon in 1997.
Greater successes was in doubles. In October 1997, she was ranked 18th and won five tournaments including WTA Tour events and another five lower-ranking (ITF Women's Circuit
). All tournament victories on the WTA Tour were with other Japanese partners - Rika Hiraki
, Miho Saeki
and mostly with Nana Miyagi
. Miyagi
won three tournaments and twice was in the quarter-finals of Grand Slam
(Australian Open
1997 and 1998).
Kijimuta and Miyagi
also appeared in many semi-finals of tournaments and several times in the last eight of Grand Slam
events (Wimbledon, French Open and US Open 1997, Wimbledon 1998 - this time victory over the Williams sisters by default).
Naoko Kijimuta played doubles in the Federation Cup
in 1997-1998, partnering Nana Miyagi
and Kyoko Nagatsuka
, but lost all three games.
Her tennis career ended in September 1998, at the Toyota Princess Cup
tournament in Tokyo
, where she successfully passed the qualifying in the singles to be defeated in the first round of the main draw to German Anke Huber
in three sets. Also the first round of the tournament in doubles (along with Rika Hiraki
) ended in defeat.
Her career earnings was less than half a million dollars.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the Federation Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
.
Career
In the 90s with her sister AkikoAkiko Kijimuta
is a former Japanese professional tennis player. She was born on May 1, 1968 in Japan and played on the WTA tour from 1986 to 1992. She reached the 4th round at Roland Garros in 1992, where she led the world number-one ranked player Monica Seles 4 games to 1 in the final set, before wilting to...
she ranked among the top tennis players in Japan, alongside such players as Kimiko Date
Kimiko Date
is a Japanese professional tennis player. In her career, she has won over 200 tournament matches. She has won the Japan Open four times. In 1994, she was ranked in the top-ten women players in the world. In 1992, the WTA awarded her the "Most Improved Player of the Year". After playing in her...
and Naoko Sawamatsu
Naoko Sawamatsu
Naoko Sawamatsu is a former professional tennis player. During her career she won 4 WTA career singles titles. Sawamatsu reached a career high ranking of World No. 14 on 6th of February 1995...
. In 1995-1997 she figured in the top hundred in the world ranking in singles, taking a highest ranking in March 1997 - No. 44 (the season ended 1996 as the world's 50th best player.)
Naoko's best results include the semi-finals singles WTA Tour tournament in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
(defeated by the highest seeded Belgian Sabine Appelmans
Sabine Appelmans
Sabine Appelmans is a former tennis player from Belgium, and was Belgium's Fed Cup captain from 2007 until 2011.-Career:...
) and Tokyo (Japan Open
Japan Open Tennis Championships
The Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships is a tennis tournament held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park with its center court Ariake Coliseum, located in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. The championship includes both men's and women's, as well as singles and doubles competitions...
) in 1996. Quarterfinals in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in 1997. Third round in the US Open 1996 and Wimbledon in 1997.
Greater successes was in doubles. In October 1997, she was ranked 18th and won five tournaments including WTA Tour events and another five lower-ranking (ITF Women's Circuit
ITF Women's Circuit
The ITF Women's Circuit is a series of professional tennis tournaments run by the International Tennis Federation for female professional tennis players. It serves as the developmental circuit for the WTA Tour, which is run by the independent Women's Tennis Association...
). All tournament victories on the WTA Tour were with other Japanese partners - Rika Hiraki
Rika Hiraki
Rika Hiraki is a former professional Japanese female tennis player.She has won 1 Grand Slam mixed doubles title, the 1997 French Open .-Doubles :*1991: Puerto Rico *1992: Tokyo [Japan Open]...
, Miho Saeki
Miho Saeki
is a Japanese tennis player, winner of professional tournaments in doubles and singles, and a representative of Japan for the Federation Cup.-Career:...
and mostly with Nana Miyagi
Nana Miyagi
Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...
. Miyagi
Nana Miyagi
Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...
won three tournaments and twice was in the quarter-finals of 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...
(Australian Open
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...
1997 and 1998).
Kijimuta and Miyagi
Nana Miyagi
Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...
also appeared in many semi-finals of tournaments and several times in the last eight of 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...
events (Wimbledon, French Open and US Open 1997, Wimbledon 1998 - this time victory over the Williams sisters by default).
Naoko Kijimuta played doubles in the Federation Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
in 1997-1998, partnering Nana Miyagi
Nana Miyagi
Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...
and Kyoko Nagatsuka
Kyōko Nagatsuka
Kyōko Nagatsuka is a retired Japanese female tennis player. She reached her career-high ranking of No. 28 in the world on August 14, 1995. In doubles, she reached as high as No. 31 on June 19, 1995....
, but lost all three games.
Her tennis career ended in September 1998, at the Toyota Princess Cup
Toyota Princess Cup
The Toyota Princess Cup was a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament held annually from 1997-2002. It was played in Tokyo, Japan and was categorized as a Tier II event....
tournament in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, where she successfully passed the qualifying in the singles to be defeated in the first round of the main draw to German Anke Huber
Anke Huber
Anke Huber is a German retired professional tennis player. She was the runner-up in women's singles at the 1996 Australian Open. Her career-high singles ranking was fourth, also in 1996.-Early life:...
in three sets. Also the first round of the tournament in doubles (along with Rika Hiraki
Rika Hiraki
Rika Hiraki is a former professional Japanese female tennis player.She has won 1 Grand Slam mixed doubles title, the 1997 French Open .-Doubles :*1991: Puerto Rico *1992: Tokyo [Japan Open]...
) ended in defeat.
Her career earnings was less than half a million dollars.