Kurumi Nara (L) and Misaki Doi - 2007 Wimbledon girls doubles finalists
HP Japan Women's Open 2009
WTA - $220,000
Round 2 (16)
Preview
Young Japanese Star Set For Toughest Career Test
Kurumi Nara is a 17 years old from Japan making a rapid ascent through the rankings. She has a current singles rank of 170.
She enjoyed a highly accomplished junior career including a Wimbledon doubles final, and was Japan's top junior in 2007 ahead of Ayumi Morita.
Last year she played mainly junior events, however one foray onto the challenger circuit earned her a debut senior title at 25k Hamanako.
2009 has seen Kurumi Nara play a whole bunch of 25 and 50k's mainly at home in Japan, but also one or two in the USA. She won her 2nd ITF title at Obihiro 25k in June.
Kurumi's recent ranking has brought her into the competitive proximity of several players familiar to avid tennis fans, such as Shuai Zhang (who Marion beat last week in Beijing 6-1 6-4), Kurumi taking the Chinese player to three sets. She also recently put the top 200 ranked American Lauren Albanese to the test over three sets in a 50k.
Most notable is her victory last week against Carly Gullickson (Rank 141) in Tokyo 100k, before falling to Olga Savchuk in three sets.
Some (forums) have resorted to the convenient comparison with the recently retired Japanese gem Ai Sugiyama. Well, Kurumi Nara is short yes, highly agile yes, can comfortably play all court, and employs a two handed backhand. But these attributes can be said for pretty much the whole of east Asian women's tennis, after all just look at the amount of doubles titles women from these regions vacuum up. Yet If ranking and recommendation is anything to go by, then Kurumi Nara could well have a talent a little less generic, and a destiny a little less mundane than Japanese doubles specialist. Whatever the outcome of Wednesday's match with Marion - by far the highest ranking player she has ever had to play - Kurumi Nara seems destined for greater things.
Marion will be surely looking to negotiate this match with the same level of professionalism she has against the various wildcard wonders and promising young hopefuls she has encountered this year, players such as Monica Wejnert in Brisbane, Jessica Pegula at Ponte Vedra Beach, and even last week against the slightly more experienced Shuai Zhang in Beijing.
The atmosphere generated by matches such as these involving home favorites can be tense and exciting, with the crowd willing thier compatriot on. We seen a bit of that last week give Shuai Zhang a wee lift in the 2nd set. It's important therefore that Marion assert her level, and not give the crowd too much to perspire over. The match requires a healthy modicum of respect and application; expect nothing less from Marion Bartoli as she seeks a place in the quarter final at Osaka. Always fascinating to encounter a new player. Should be a great match under the late summer sunshine at Utsubo Tennis Center.
Schedule - Wed 13 Oct 2009
K. Nara [JPN] vs. M. Bartoli [FRA]
Match 3 on Center Court. Play starts 10AM local
Edited 06:36 10/2009/14
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 05:24 10/2009/14
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour confirm Marion has a mathematical chance of Doha qualification. With no outstanding tournament commitments after Osaka, Marion will likely seek a wild card for the Kremlin Cup in the event of winning Osaka outright.
