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Ai Sugiyama (杉山愛) (born July 5 1975) is a
Japan|Japanese tennis player, born in Tokyo.In her
career she has won 36 titles: 6 in singles and 30
in doubles, including three Grand Slam
(tennis)|Grand Slam women's doubles titles (1 with
France|Frenchwoman Julie Halard-Decugis and 2
partnering Belgium|Belgian Kim Clijsters). Coached
by her mother, Ai plays a more aggressive game
than her predecessor Kimiko Date, using her
fitness and speed, as well as aggressive serve and
volley whenever feasible. She has won the 1997 and
1998 Japan Open, 1998 Australian Women's
Hardcourts Open, and 2004 Uncle Toby's Hardcourt
Championships (same tournament), 2003 State Farm
Championships, and 2003 Linz Ladies Open. Ai has
also reached the finals of the Kremlin Cup in
1997, Gold Coast tournament in 1998, and 1999
Japan Open.

Without doubt, Ai's best tournament was in
Scottsdale 2003. She won 8 doubles titles : 7 with
Kim Clijsters (Sydney, Antwerp, Scottsdale, Roland
Garros, Wimbledon, San Diego, Zurich) and 1 with
Liezel Huber (Linz). Until then, many tennis fans
would have seen her career as history, having sank
in singles rankings to 49 in 2001 and barely
coming back to the top 25-30 in the next two
years. Having scraped off her only victory against
Lindsay Davenport in the second round and Serena
Williams withdrawing from the event, she saved a
matchpoint in semifinals against Alexandra
Stevenson before defeating Kim Clijsters in the
finals. Ai played both semis and finals of singles
and doubles in the same day and emerged with two
trophies in her hands at the end of the day. 

2003 proved to be her best year ever, having
pushed Serena Williams to the limit at Roland
Garros and reaching round of 16 in Wimbledon and
US Open as well (her 4R defeat to Francesca
Schiavone at Flushing Meadows was rather
controversial). She also finished the year ranked
10, having defeated world number one Justine
Henin-Hardenne.

While her tennis career may end soon, she is still
not sure about her future plans. In collaboration,
her autobiography co-authored with her mother
Fusako, she states an interest in both coaching
and playing doubles. Although inspired by her
mother's personality and achievements, she tries
to carve her own life independently.

Her father is in the medical field while her
younger sister Mai is an amateur golf player.
Through her family, she was baptized in a Catholic
church in 1999, but does not make her faith as
explicit as Michael Chang does. Her mother
recounts that Ai grew up without trouble nor much
parental guidance and as a result, as enjoyed
raising children.


==Grand Slam Titles==

Roland Garros : (women's doubles) 2003 

Wimbledon : (women's doubles) 2003 

U.S. Open : (mixed doubles) 1999 

U.S. Open : (women's doubles) 2000 


==External links==
*wta|id=190353|name=Sugiyama Ai

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