Naoko Kijimuta
Naoko Kijimuta (Japanese: 雉子牟田 直子 Kijimuta Naoko, born March 26, 1972) is a retired Japanese tennis player, winner of 3 professional tournaments in doubles and a representative of Japan in the Federation Cup.
| Country (sports) |  |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1972 Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 4 1⁄2 in) |
| Turned pro | 1992 |
| Retired | 1998 |
| Prize money | $499,278 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 122-112 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 44 (March 3, 1997) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998) |
| French Open | 2R (1997) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1997) |
| US Open | 3R (1996) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 125-87 |
| Career titles | 5 WTA, 5 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 18 (October 13, 1997) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1997, 1998) |
| French Open | 3R (1997) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1997, 1998) |
| US Open | 3R (1997) |
| Last updated on: Dec 14, 2010. | |
Career
In the 1990s with her sister Akiko, 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 - World 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.
WTA Finals
Doubles (5–1)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 3 October 1993 | Sapporo, Japan | Carpet (i) | |
 |
4–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 2. | 14 April 1996 | Jakarta, Indonessia | Hard | |
.svg.png){kind=small} |
7–6, 7–5 |
| Winner | 3. | 14 October 1996 | Beijing, China | Hard | |
|
7–5, 6–4 |
| Winner | 4. | 5 January 1997 | Gold Coast Classic, Australia | Hard | |
  |
7–6, 6–1 |
| Winner | 5. | 12 January 1997 | Hobart, Australia | Hard | |
 |
6–3, 6–1 |
| Winner | 6. | 19 April 1998 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | |
 |
6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
ITF finals
Singles (0–1)
| $75,000 tournaments |
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 23 September 1991 | Kuroshio, Japan | Hard |  |
3–6, 4–6 |
Doubles (5–3)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 28 September 1992 | Ibaraki, Japan | Hard | |
|
6–3, 2–2 ret. |
| Winner | 2. | 5 October 1992 | Kuroshio, Japan | Hard | |
|
6–2, 6–4 |
| Winner | 3. | 19 October 1992 | Kyoto, Japan | Hard | |
|
6–3, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 28 June 1993 | Columbia, United States | Hard | |
|
5–7, 4–6 |
| Winner | 5. | 5 July 1993 | Indianapolis, United States | Hard | |
.svg.png){kind=small} |
7–5, 6–3 |
| Winner | 6. | 16 August 1993 | Arzachena, Italy | Clay | |
|
6–0, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 7. | 30 October 1994 | Tarakan, Indonesia | Hard | |
|
2-6, 3-6 |
| Runner-up | 8. | 6 August 1995 | Austin, United States | Hard | |
|
4-6, 3-6 |
