Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

OSAKA, Japan - Kimiko Date Krumm smiles after defeating Aiko Nakamura 6-2, 6-0 in a second-round match at the Japan Women's Open in Osaka on Oct. 14, 2010. Krumm will meet defending champion and top-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals.

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

OSAKA, Japan - Kimiko Date Krumm returns the ball to Aiko Nakamura in a second-round match at the Japan Women's Open in Osaka on Oct. 14, 2010. Krumm beat Nakamura 6-2, 6-0, setting up a quarterfinal against defending champion and top-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur.

Japan beats Croatia to clinch playoff spot at Fed Cup

Japan beats Croatia to clinch playoff spot at Fed Cup

MIKI, Japan - Aiko Nakamura is in action during her Fed Cup World Group II singles match against Croatia's Nika Ozegovic at Beans Dome in Hyogo Prefecture on Feb. 3. Nakamura won by 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, helping Japan clinch a playoff spot for a place in the top-tier World Group.

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

TOKYO, Japan - Top seed Aiko Nakamura lifts her champion's plate at the awards ceremony on Nov. 17 after winning her first singles title at the national championships, defeating fourth-seeded Junri Namigata 6-2, 6-1 in the final at Ariake Tennis Forest Park.

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - Swiss favorite and world No. 9 Martina Hingis beats Japan's Aiko Nakamura in straight sets 1-6, 2-6 on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships on June 27.

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - Aiko Nakamura of Japan looks downcast after being defeated in her second round by Swiss favorite and world No. 9 Martina Hingis in straight sets 1-6, 2-6 on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships on June 27.

Bartoli wins women's singles at Japan Open

Bartoli wins women's singles at Japan Open

TOKYO, Japan - Top-seed Marion Bartoli of France kisses her cup after beating Japan's Aiko Nakamura to win the women's singles final at the Japan Open at Tokyo's at Ariake Tennis Forest Park on Oct. 8.

Japan regains place in Fed Cup World Group top flight

Japan regains place in Fed Cup World Group top flight

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Aiko Nakamura beat Austria's Barbara Schwartz 6-2, 7-5 in a Fed Cup playoff singles match at Tokyo's at Ariake Colosseum on July 16. Her win led Japan to a place in the top flight of the Fed Cup World Group.

Sugiyama advances to 2nd round of U.S. Open

Sugiyama advances to 2nd round of U.S. Open

NEW YORK, United States - Ai Sugiyama won her first Grand Slam singles match of the year on Aug. 29 to advance to the second round of the U.S. Open along with Japanese compatriot Aiko Nakamura. No. 30 seed Sugiyama rebounded from a slow start to outplay Ukrainian Alyona Bondarenko, 21, with powerful ground strokes on her way to a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win in the year's last Grand Slam tournament.

Asagoe, Srebotnik also into doubles 3rd round at Wimbledon

Asagoe, Srebotnik also into doubles 3rd round at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - The Japan-Slovakia duo of Shinobu Asagoe (L) and Katarina Srebotnik came from behind to beat Evie Dominikovic of Austria and Aiko Nakamura of Japan 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to clinch a spot in the third round of the women's doubles at Wimbledon on June 25.

Saeki captures 1st national title

Saeki captures 1st national title

TOKYO, Japan - Miho Saeki defeated Aiko Nakamura in the women's singles final in Tokyo on Nov. 20 to capture her first title at the national championships.

Saeki captures 1st national title

Saeki captures 1st national title

TOKYO, Japan - Miho Saeki defeated Aiko Nakamura in the women's singles final in Tokyo on Nov. 20 to capture her first title at the national championships. (Kyodo)

Asagoe, Srebotnik also into doubles 3rd round at Wimbledon

Asagoe, Srebotnik also into doubles 3rd round at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - The Japan-Slovakia duo of Shinobu Asagoe (L) and Katarina Srebotnik came from behind to beat Evie Dominikovic of Austria and Aiko Nakamura of Japan 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to clinch a spot in the third round of the women's doubles at Wimbledon on June 25. (Kyodo)

Sugiyama advances to 2nd round of U.S. Open

Sugiyama advances to 2nd round of U.S. Open

NEW YORK, United States - Ai Sugiyama won her first Grand Slam singles match of the year on Aug. 29 to advance to the second round of the U.S. Open along with Japanese compatriot Aiko Nakamura. No. 30 seed Sugiyama rebounded from a slow start to outplay Ukrainian Alyona Bondarenko, 21, with powerful ground strokes on her way to a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win in the year's last Grand Slam tournament. (Kyodo)

Japan regains place in Fed Cup World Group top flight

Japan regains place in Fed Cup World Group top flight

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Aiko Nakamura beat Austria's Barbara Schwartz 6-2, 7-5 in a Fed Cup playoff singles match at Tokyo's at Ariake Colosseum on July 16. Her win led Japan to a place in the top flight of the Fed Cup World Group. (Kyodo)

Bartoli wins women's singles at Japan Open

Bartoli wins women's singles at Japan Open

TOKYO, Japan - Top-seed Marion Bartoli of France kisses her cup after beating Japan's Aiko Nakamura to win the women's singles final at the Japan Open at Tokyo's at Ariake Tennis Forest Park on Oct. 8. (Kyodo)

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - Aiko Nakamura of Japan looks downcast after being defeated in her second round by Swiss favorite and world No. 9 Martina Hingis in straight sets 1-6, 2-6 on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships on June 27. (Kyodo)

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

Nakamura defeated by Hingis at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England - Swiss favorite and world No. 9 Martina Hingis beats Japan's Aiko Nakamura in straight sets 1-6, 2-6 on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships on June 27. (Kyodo)

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

TOKYO, Japan - Top seed Aiko Nakamura lifts her champion's plate at the awards ceremony on Nov. 17 after winning her first singles title at the national championships, defeating fourth-seeded Junri Namigata 6-2, 6-1 in the final at Ariake Tennis Forest Park. (Kyodo)

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

Nakamura wins women's national tennis title

TOKYO, Japan - Top seed Aiko Nakamura lifts her champion's plate at the awards ceremony on Nov. 17 after winning her first singles title at the national championships, defeating fourth-seeded Junri Namigata 6-2, 6-1 in the final at Ariake Tennis Forest Park. (Kyodo)

Japan beats Croatia to clinch playoff spot at Fed Cup

Japan beats Croatia to clinch playoff spot at Fed Cup

MIKI, Japan - Aiko Nakamura is in action during her Fed Cup World Group II singles match against Croatia's Nika Ozegovic at Beans Dome in Hyogo Prefecture on Feb. 3. Nakamura won by 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, helping Japan clinch a playoff spot for a place in the top-tier World Group. (Kyodo)

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

OSAKA, Japan - Kimiko Date Krumm returns the ball to Aiko Nakamura in a second-round match at the Japan Women's Open in Osaka on Oct. 14, 2010. Krumm beat Nakamura 6-2, 6-0, setting up a quarterfinal against defending champion and top-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur. (Kyodo)

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

Date Krumm at Japan Women's Open

OSAKA, Japan - Kimiko Date Krumm smiles after defeating Aiko Nakamura 6-2, 6-0 in a second-round match at the Japan Women's Open in Osaka on Oct. 14, 2010. Krumm will meet defending champion and top-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals. (Kyodo)