Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010

Photo by Kenji Punazalan (www.kenginapunzalan.com)

Have you noticed that just about every female in Japan “plays” tennis? This is a curious phenomenon indeed, because you’ll never get to play tennis with them, or even see them play. But if even half the people in Japan who claim to play tennis actually do, then that’s an awfully large pool of players. So where are Japan’s tennis stars?

One of them will be at the upcoming Toray Pan Pacific tournament, which starts later this month. Kimiko Date-Krumm is the only Japanese woman to have actually won Toray since it started 23 years ago. Of course, that was back in 1995, not long before she retired at the age of 26. She’s now in her second coming, and amazingly will turn 40 during this year’s tournament.

It’s hard to believe that Date reached her peak so long ago. And, even though she took up marathon running during her long retirement, it’s perhaps even harder to believe that she’s still a Top 50 player. She became the second-oldest player to win a WTA tournament last year in Seoul, and this year became the oldest to beat a Top 10 opponent when she bested world No. 9 Dinara Safina at Roland Garros. But she’s had injury problems recently, and there are hints that her body doesn’t want to play tennis much longer—even if she does.

Japan will also be represented by Ayumi Morita, one of a succession of women who have been touted as “the next Date.” Despite playing doubles with her sempai, Morita has so far failed to make an impression on the upper levels of the game, but at 20, she’s still in with a chance. After all, Date herself was no superstar at that age either.

One Japanese player who might make waves in the years to come is Sachie Ishizu, who was the runner-up in this year’s Wimbledon junior tournament. Having just turned 18, she’ll be making her WTA Tour debut at Toray—and, with three ITF tournament wins already under her belt, she’s ready for a move into the big time.

Leading the ladies at Ariake will be Serena Williams, who has never won the tournament and who was forced to skip the recent US Open due to a foot injury. Two-time champion Maria Sharapova (left) will be back to defend her title, and she’ll be joined by three Top 10 players from eastern Europe: Jelena Jankovic, Caroline Wozniacki and 2006 winner Elena Dementieva.

Mind you, autumn isn’t only about the Toray tournament: once that’s out of the way, the Rakuten Japan Open starts. And if it’s star quality you want, one player will bring it in bucketloads from the beaches of Majorca: Rafael Nadal (right).

The Spaniard may be a quiet bloke off the court, but he’s a monster on it. He reclaimed “his” French Open title in June without dropping a set and won his second Wimbledon crown a month later.

But Nadal won’t be able to walk to another ATP title. Standing in his way are defending champion and world No. 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, American world No. 9 Andy Roddick and 10th-ranked Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina. Kei Nishikori will be out there representing Japan, as he continues his comeback following a disastrous, injury-hit 2009.

Toray Pan Pacific Open
Sep 24-Oct 2. ¥3,000-¥10,000. Ariake Colosseum. Tel: 03-5229-0550.

Rakuten Japan Open
Oct 4-10. ¥2,000-¥25,000. Ariake Colosseum. Tel: 03-3481-2511.