Sara Saito (斎藤咲良, Saitō Sara; born 3 October 2006) is a Japanese tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking…Sara Saito (斎藤咲良, Saitō Sara; born 3 October 2006) is a Japanese tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of 159 WTA, achieved on 16 December 2024. On 20 April 2026, she peaked at No. 215 in the WTA doubles rankings.
Ayano Shimizu (清水 綾乃, Shimizu Ayano; born 11 April 1998) is a Japanese tennis player. Shimizu has a career-high singles…Ayano Shimizu (清水 綾乃, Shimizu Ayano; born 11 April 1998) is a Japanese tennis player. Shimizu has a career-high singles ranking of 175 by the WTA, reached on 13 May 2019, and a best doubles ranking of 106, achieved on 20 October 2025. Shimizu has won eight singles titles and 24 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She won her biggest title to date at the 2018 Kurume Cup, defeating Abbie Myers in the final.
Ayumi Morita (森田 あゆみ, Morita Ayumi; born 11 March 1990) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. She reached a…Ayumi Morita (森田 あゆみ, Morita Ayumi; born 11 March 1990) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 40 in the world in October 2011. At junior level, she reached a combined career-high ranking of No. 3. Morita is recognized for her two‑handed groundstrokes, which she strikes with a characteristically flat trajectory. A small, quick athlete, Morita possesses good footwork and court coverage, allowing her to neutralize opponents and dictate play through movement and precision. Morita is one of the most successful Fed Cup players of recent times with a 23–14 match win-loss record for Japan.
Jiro Sato (佐藤 次郎, Satō Jirō; Japanese pronunciation: [sa.toː dʑi.ɾoː]; January 5, 1908 – April 5, 1934) was a Japanese…Jiro Sato (佐藤 次郎, Satō Jirō; Japanese pronunciation: [sa.toː dʑi.ɾoː]; January 5, 1908 – April 5, 1934) was a Japanese tennis player. He was ranked world No. 3 in 1933 but committed suicide in the Strait of Malacca during his trip to the Davis Cup in 1934. He received worldwide fame at Wimbledon in 1932, when he beat the defending champion Sidney Wood in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, he lost to Bunny Austin. His peak came in 1933, when he beat Fred Perry in the French Open quarterfinal. He was ranked world No. 3 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph, behind Jack Crawford and Fred Perry. However, it got more and more difficult for him to endure the enormous pressure from Japan. It is believed that this pressure drove him to throw himself overboard into the Strait of Malacca on April 5, 1934, at 26 years of age.
Zenzo Shimizu (清水 善造, Shimizu Zenzō; 25 March 1891 – 12 April 1977), also spelt Zenzo Shimidzu, was a Japanese tennis…Zenzo Shimizu (清水 善造, Shimizu Zenzō; 25 March 1891 – 12 April 1977), also spelt Zenzo Shimidzu, was a Japanese tennis player. Shimizu graduated from the Tokyo Higher Commerce School (now Hitotsubashi University). In 1912, he started to work for Mitsui & Co. He married the daughter of Sohōka. He resided in Calcutta and New York. In 1929 he was transferred to Mitsui Life Insurance Co., became the manager of Kobe Branch, in 1945 the director thereof and thereafter was expelled from his official position after World War II. He was running a trading company in Kobe thereafter. In 1965 he collapsed from a stroke. In 1977 he died in Osaka at the age of 86. While having this educational background and career he reached the All-Comers final of the Wimbledon Championships in 1920, where he lost to Bill Tilden 4–6, 4–6, 11–13. At the 1921 Wimbledon Championships he reached the semifinal which he lost to Manuel Alonso in five sets. He also was a member of Japan's Davis Cup team that finished second to United States in 1921. In 1921 he won the singles title at the London Championships by defeating Mohammed Sleem in the final in straight sets. He established the earliest period of Japanese tennis together with Ichiya Kumagae (accurately speaking, Kumagai). Shimizu was ranked World No. 4 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph in 1921. Zenzo Shimizu (清水善三) (the same pronunciation but different Kanji comparing with Zenzo of this article, 善造) who is an ex-actor is his grandson.
