Ai Sugiyama
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|
| Country (sports) |
 Japan
|
|---|---|
| Residence | Kanagawa, Japan |
| Born |
July 5, 1975 Yokohama, Japan |
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Turned pro | October, 1992 |
| Retired | October, 2009 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$ $8,128,126 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 492–419 |
| Career titles | 6 WTA, 1 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 8 (February 9, 2004) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2000) |
| French Open | 4R (1995, 2000, 2003) |
| Wimbledon | QF (2004) |
| US Open | 4R (2003, 2004) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 566–295 |
| Career titles | 38 (4 ITF titles) |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (October 23, 2000) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | F (2009) |
| French Open | W (2003) |
| Wimbledon | W (2003) |
| US Open | W (2000) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 35–21 |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1999, 2001, 2003, 2006) |
| French Open | SF (2000) |
| Wimbledon | SF (2004) |
| US Open | W (1999) |
Ai Sugiyama (杉山愛 Sugiyama Ai?, born July 5, 1975) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. She reached No. 1 in women's doubles on the WTA Tour. Her career-high singles ranking was No. 8, achieved on February 9, 2004. In her career, she won 6 singles titles and 37 doubles titles, including three Grand Slam women's doubles titles (one with Frenchwoman Julie Halard-Decugis and two partnering Belgian Kim Clijsters). Sugiyama held the all-time record, for both male and female players, for her 62 consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearances, until surpassed by Roger Federer in 2015 Wimbledon Championship by playing his 63rd consecutive Grand Slam.
In 1993, at age 17, Sugiyama played tennis legend Martina Navratilova in her native city, losing in three sets. The same year, she made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon but lost in the first round to world number 30 Gigi Fernández in three sets. In 1994, Sugiyama again reached the main draw at Wimbledon but lost in her first round to world number six and compatriot Kimiko Date. Later that year she reached her first singles final in Surabaya but was forced to retire against Elena Wagner. She went on to win the Japan Open doubles at Tokyo, her first tour title. Later that year, she broke into the WTA Top 100. In 1995, she won her first Grand Slam match and reached the 4th round of Roland Garros. In the first round, the Japanese player defeated 15th-seeded Grand Slam runner-up and former Top-5 player Helena Suková by 9–7 in the final set, her first victory over a Top-20 player. Two months after, she defeated Amanda Coetzer to reach the third round, while losing to world number four and former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez. In November, she made an impressive run at the Oakland Tier II tournament. While she was only ranked 63, she defeated 22nd-ranked Irina Spîrlea, former Wimbledon runner-up Zina Garrison Jackson, and number ten Lindsay Davenport to reach the second final of her career, where she lost to number seven Magdalena Maleeva. Because of this, Sugiyama broke into the Top 50.
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