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'Ai-chan' wins mixed doubles at nationals

TOKYO, Japan - Teenager Ai Fukuhara and her partner Ryusuke Sakamoto celebrate after winning the mixed doubles title at the national championships at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Jan. 18.

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'Ai-chan' gets off to winning start in table tennis singles

DOHA, Qatar - Japan's Ai Fukuhara gets off to a flying start at the Asian Games on Dec. 4, easing into the third round of the women's singles and partnering Ai Fujinuma to victory in the doubles of the table tennis competition. Fukuhara, who had a bye into the second round, trounced Lankan Kalpani Herath in straight sets to advance to the round of 16.

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Ai-chan into singles semis at world junior meet

KOBE, Japan - Japan's Ai Fukuhara booked her place in the women's singles semifinals with a 3-1 win over China's Wang Xuan at the world junior championships at Kobe Memorial Hall on Dec. 4.

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Ai-chan off to flying start at world junior meet

KOBE, Japan - Olympic table tennis player Ai Fukuhara (back) beat Carla Nouwen (front) of the Netherlands in the women's singles of the world junior championships at Kobe World Memorial Hall on Dec. 2. She also defeated England's Joanna Parker, getting off to a solid start to go top of preliminary group B in the championships.

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Miyazato to play in Australian tournament in Feb.

TOKYO, Japan - Teenage star Ai Miyazato, who won five tournaments in her first full year on the Japan LPGA tour, smiles at a press conference in Tokyo on Nov. 30. The 19-year-old from Okinawa, commonly known as ''Ai-chan,'' said she will play in the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia in February on a sponsor's exemption.

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(2)'Ai chan' knocked out in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Japanese teenager Ai Fukuhara looks disheartened after being beaten by Kim Kyung Ah of South Korea in the women's singles table tennis fourth-round match of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Aug. 18.

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(1)'Ai chan' knocked out in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Japanese teenager Ai Fukuhara returns the ball to Kim Kyung Ah of South Korea in the women's singles table tennis third round match at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Aug. 18.

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Ai-chan, Konishi win Olympic berth in doubles

BEIJING, China - Ai Fukuhara (fore) and An Konishi win a berth at this summer's Athens Olympics in doubles at the Asian zone qualifying tournament in Beijing on April.

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'Ai-chan' on song at Olympic qualifiers

BEIJING, China - Japanese teenager table tennis player Ai Fukuhara smiles during a press conference in Beijing on April 10 after crushing India's Mouma Das in the final phase of the women's Asian zone qualifying tournament.

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Ai-chan edges toward Olympic table tennis qualification

BEIJING, China - Japanese teenage prodigy Ai Fukuhara smiles after advancing to the final phase of the Athens Olympic Asian zone table tennis qualifying tournament in Beijing on April 9 by posting two wins against one loss to finish second in her preliminary group.

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(2)'Ai-chan' graduates from junior high school

AOMORI, Japan - Japan's table tennis phenomenon Ai Fukuhara poses for photos after graduating from Aomori Yamada Junior High School in Aomori on March 11.

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(1)'Ai-chan' graduates from junior high school

AOMORI, Japan - Japan's table tennis phenomenon Ai Fukuhara (L) receives a diploma in a graduation ceremony at Aomori Yamada Junior High School in Aomori on March 11.

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Amateur golf phenomenon 'Ai-chan' considering turning pro

TOKYO, Japan - Ai Miyazato (file photo), 18, who recently became the first amateur golfer in 30 years to win on the Japanese LPGA tour, is considering turning pro in the near future, her father and coach Masaru Miyazato said Sept. 30.

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'Ai-chan' returns to Japan

NARITA, Japan - Teen phenom Ai Fukuhara, who reached the women's quarterfinals in the recently concluded World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, speaks at a news conference at Narita airport on May 27 after returning to Japan. The 14-year-old popularly known as ''Ai-chan'' became the youngest-ever member of the Japanese national team to appear at a world championships.

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Crown prince, princess meet the media

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako look to each other during a news conference they gave at the Togu Palace in Motoakasaka, Tokyo, on April 2 to express thanks for the people's response to the birth of their first child, Princess Aiko, on Dec. 1, 2001. They said they call their daughter ''Ai-chan'' and enjoy the sense of homeliness that being parents brings. (Pool photo)

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'Ai-chan' makes history at table tennis nationals

TOKYO, Japan - Ai Fukuhara, a 13-year-old junior high school student, on Dec. 21 becomes the youngest-ever player to reach the quarterfinals of the table tennis national championships when she defeated Sayaka Hirano in a women's singles sixth-round match at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Fukuhara, who is affectionately known as ''Ai-chan,'' defeated Japan world championship team member Hirano 4-2.

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Miyazato to play in Australian tournament in Feb.

TOKYO, Japan - Teenage star Ai Miyazato, who won five tournaments in her first full year on the Japan LPGA tour, smiles at a press conference in Tokyo on Nov. 30. The 19-year-old from Okinawa, commonly known as ''Ai-chan,'' said she will play in the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia in February on a sponsor's exemption. (Kyodo)

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Ai-chan off to flying start at world junior meet

KOBE, Japan - Olympic table tennis player Ai Fukuhara (back) beat Carla Nouwen (front) of the Netherlands in the women's singles of the world junior championships at Kobe World Memorial Hall on Dec. 2. She also defeated England's Joanna Parker, getting off to a solid start to go top of preliminary group B in the championships. (Kyodo)

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Ai-chan into singles semis at world junior meet

KOBE, Japan - Japan's Ai Fukuhara booked her place in the women's singles semifinals with a 3-1 win over China's Wang Xuan at the world junior championships at Kobe Memorial Hall on Dec. 4. (Kyodo)

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'Ai-chan' wins mixed doubles at nationals

TOKYO, Japan - Teenager Ai Fukuhara and her partner Ryusuke Sakamoto celebrate after winning the mixed doubles title at the national championships at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Jan. 18. (Kyodo)

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(CORRECTED)'Ai-chan' returns to Japan

NARITA, Japan - Teen phenom Ai Fukuhara, who reached the women's quarterfinals in the recently concluded World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, speaks at a news conference at Narita airport on May 27 after returning to Japan. The 14-year-old popularly known as ''Ai-chan'' became the youngest-ever member of the Japanese national team to appear at a world championships. (Kyodo)

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(2)'Ai chan' knocked out in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Japanese teenager Ai Fukuhara looks disheartened after being beaten by Kim Kyung Ah of South Korea in the women's singles table tennis fourth-round match of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Aug. 18. (Kyodo)

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(1)'Ai chan' knocked out in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Japanese teenager Ai Fukuhara returns the ball to Kim Kyung Ah of South Korea in the women's singles table tennis third round match at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Aug. 18. (Kyodo)

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'Ai-chan' gets off to winning start in table tennis singles

DOHA, Qatar - Japan's Ai Fukuhara gets off to a flying start at the Asian Games on Dec. 4, easing into the third round of the women's singles and partnering Ai Fujinuma to victory in the doubles of the table tennis competition. Fukuhara, who had a bye into the second round, trounced Lankan Kalpani Herath in straight sets to advance to the round of 16. (Kyodo)

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(2)'Ai-chan' graduates from junior high school

AOMORI, Japan - Japan's table tennis phenomenon Ai Fukuhara poses for photos after graduating from Aomori Yamada Junior High School in Aomori on March 11. (Kyodo)

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(1)'Ai-chan' graduates from junior high school

AOMORI, Japan - Japan's table tennis phenomenon Ai Fukuhara (L) receives a diploma in a graduation ceremony at Aomori Yamada Junior High School in Aomori on March 11. (Kyodo)

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'Ai-chan' makes history at table tennis nationals

TOKYO, Japan - Ai Fukuhara, a 13-year-old junior high school student, on Dec. 21 becomes the youngest-ever player to reach the quarterfinals of the table tennis national championships when she defeated Sayaka Hirano in a women's singles sixth-round match at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Fukuhara, who is affectionately known as ''Ai-chan,'' defeated Japan world championship team member Hirano 4-2.

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Ai-chan, Konishi win Olympic berth in doubles

BEIJING, China - Ai Fukuhara (fore) and An Konishi win a berth at this summer's Athens Olympics in doubles at the Asian zone qualifying tournament in Beijing on April. (Kyodo)

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'Ai-chan' on song at Olympic qualifiers

BEIJING, China - Japanese teenager table tennis player Ai Fukuhara smiles during a press conference in Beijing on April 10 after crushing India's Mouma Das in the final phase of the women's Asian zone qualifying tournament. (Kyodo)

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Ai-chan edges toward Olympic table tennis qualification

BEIJING, China - Japanese teenage prodigy Ai Fukuhara smiles after advancing to the final phase of the Athens Olympic Asian zone table tennis qualifying tournament in Beijing on April 9 by posting two wins against one loss to finish second in her preliminary group. (Kyodo)

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Amateur golf phenomenon 'Ai-chan' considering turning pro

TOKYO, Japan - Ai Miyazato (file photo), 18, who recently became the first amateur golfer in 30 years to win on the Japanese LPGA tour, is considering turning pro in the near future, her father and coach Masaru Miyazato said Sept. 30. (Kyodo)