Ai Sugiyama
Staff , Sarasota Herald-Tribune
January Seeded No. 3 at Gold Coast, upset in 1r by qualifier Sanchez Lorenzo 76 36 75; captured Sydney doubles title with Clijsters; as No. 21 seed at Australian Open, d. Widjaja in three sets before…
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Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Ranked: 18 - Japan

January

Seeded No. 3 at Gold Coast, upset in 1r by qualifier Sanchez Lorenzo 76 36 75; captured Sydney doubles title with Clijsters; as No. 21 seed at Australian Open, d. Widjaja in three sets before 2r upset by Petrova; reached doubles QF with Clijsters

February

At Tokyo-Pan Pacific lost to No. 1 seed Seles in 3s in 2r, saving four match points in 2s; reached doubles SF with Shaughnessy; at Paris Indoors, d. world No. 19 Dechy in 1r and led No. 3 seed Mauresmo 4-0 before l. 75 62; upset world No. 10 Dokic in 1r at Antwerp en route to QF, l. to world No. 4 Henin-Hardenne 62 64 and won doubles title with Clijsters; at Scottsdale, claimed fourth WTA Tour singles title (first at a Tier II event) by d. doubles partner and world No. 3 Clijsters, the No. 2 seed, 36 75 64 (Clijsters led 5-4 in 2s) and former world No. 1 Davenport in her opening round match (following a 1r bye); due to a rained out SF the previous day, played same-day SF and F (in both singles and doubles), fighting off 3 mp against Stevenson during 67(2) 62 76(7) SF win; last singles title was a 1998 Tier III in Japan; ranking improved from No. 25 to No. 18; w/Clijsters, d. Davenport/Raymond for doubles title

March

Seeded No. 21 at Indian Wells, fell to No. 8 seed Rubin in 4r; doubles finalist w/Clijsters

SINGLES

Winner (4 WTA Tour):

2003 - Scottsdale;

1998 - Gold Coast, Japan Open;

1997 - Japan Open;

1992 - ITF/Roanoke-USA.

Finalist (5):

1999 - Japan Open;

1997 - Gold Coast, Moscow;

1995 - Oakland;

1994 - Surabaya.

Semifinalist (8):

2002 - Memphis, Los Angeles, Shanghai;

2001 - Japan Open;

1999 - Gold Coast, Tokyo [Princess Cup];

1998 - Sydney;

1996 - Japan Open;

1994 - Osaka.

DOUBLES

Winner (23):

2003 - Sydney (w/Clijsters), Antwerp (w/Clijsters), Scottsdale (w/Clijsters);

2002 - Memphis (w/Tatarkova);

2001 - Canberra (w/Arendt), Indian Wells (w/Arendt);

2000 - US Open (w/Halard-Decugis), Sydney (w/Halard-Decugis), Miami (w/Halard-Decugis), Eastbourne (Tauziat), New Haven (w/Halard-Decugis), Tokyo [Princess Cup] (w/Halard-Decugis), Moscow (w/Halard-Decugis);

1999 - Sydney (w/Likhovtseva), Strasbourg (w/Likhovtseva);

1998 - Gold Coast (w/Likhovtseva), Luxembourg (w/Likhovtseva), Leipzig (w/Likhovtseva), Philadelphia (w/Likhovtseva);

1997 - Tokyo [Princess Cup] (w/Seles);

1996 - Japan Open (w/Date);

1995 - Hobart (w/Nagatsuka);

1994 - Japan Open (w/Donoshiro).

MIXED DOUBLES

Winner (1):

1999 - US Open (w/Bhupathi).

Semifinalist (2):

2001 - US Open (w/Ferreira);

2000 - Roland Garros (w/de Jager).

ADDITIONAL

Japanese Fed Cup Team 1995-2000. Japanese Olympic Team 1996, 2000.

Nationality: JPN Residence: Kanagawa, Japan Date of Birth: July 5, 1975 Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan Height: 5'4 1/4'' (1.63 m) Weight: 121 lbs. (55 kg) Plays: Right-handed Status: Pro (October 1992) WTA Tour singles titles: 4 WTA Tour doubles titles: 23 Grand Slam titles: 1 doubles, 1 mixed doubles ITF Womens Circuit singles titles: 1 Prize Money 2002: $416,408 Career Prize Money End of 2002: $3,120,163 Win Loss Record 2002 - Singles: 37-27 Career Win Loss Record End of 2002-Singles: 295-244

At a glance