Japan Open (tennis) explained

Kinoshita Group Japan Open
Type:	joint
Founded:	^[1]
Location:	Tokyo, Japan
Venue:	Ariake Coliseum Musashino Forest Sports Plaza (2018)
Surface:	Hard / outdoors (1915–1972, 1976–1977, 1982–2017, 2019–) Clay / outdoors (1973–1975, 1978–1981) Hard / indoors (2018)
Completed Event:	2024
Men's Singles:	Arthur Fils
Men's Doubles:	Julian Cash Lloyd Glasspool
Atp Category:	ATP 500 series / ATP International Series Gold / ATP Championship Series (1990–present) Grand Prix circuit (1973–1989)
Atp Draw:	32S / 24Q / 16D
Atp Prize Money:	US$2,046,340 (2019)
Wta Tier:	Tier III
Wta Draw:	32M / 32Q / 16D
Wta Prize Money:	US$175,000 (2008)

The Japan Open (currently sponsored by Kinoshita Group) is a men's tennis tournament held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park with its center court Ariake Coliseum, located in Koto, Tokyo. It has been held since 1972. In 2018, the venue switched to the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza as the Ariake Coliseum was renovated for the tennis events at the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[2] The championship includes men's singles and doubles competitions. The "All-Japan Championships" was founded in 1922 (there had been another Japanese championships held once in 1915). Before 1972, the All-Japan championships was an international event (although in many years there were few overseas competitors) but after the Japan Open began, the All-Japan championships became a national event.

History

A Japanese championships was first held in 1915 when the British player G. A. Roper beat his compatriot H. C. M. Horne in the final in four sets. The event was held on the grounds of the Kobe Club in Mirume. The entries were few, as the native players of Tokyo and Yokohama wanted the meeting held in Tokyo, but that was impossible, as the Kobe club was the only club affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association.^[3]

The All-Japan Championships was first played in 1922 in Tokyo (a few months after the Japanese Tennis Association was formed) as a men's only tournament.^[4] In 1924, a women's event was added to the programme. The tournament has been mainly played in Tokyo throughout its long run but has also been staged in other cities such as Osaka in 1933, 1935, 1937, 1939. Following World War II, the event was sometimes known as the Japan International Championships until 1972.

The Japan Open was first held in 1972 as a minor ATP event and from 1973 was part of the Grand Prix tennis tour. The Japan Open was known as the "Tokyo Outdoor Grand Prix" between 1973 and 1989. From 1990 it was part of the ATP Tour. From 1979 until 2008, the Japan Open was a joint tournament for both men and women. This is no longer the case in the aftermath of the Ariake Coliseum hosting another women's professional tournament, the Pan Pacific Open. On the women's side, the Japan Open was held until 2014 on the WTA Tour, and then it was downgraded to a $100,000+H ITF Women's Circuit event. In 2019, the women's event was discontinued. The men's event is part of the ATP Tour 500 series level of tournaments

The All-Japan championships continues to this day^{[5] [6]} but is a national event for Japanese players only, whilst the Japan Open took over the mantle as the Japan international event from 1972 onwards.

Past finals

Men's singles

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1915		G.A. Roper	H.C.M. Horne	6–1, 7–5, 9–11, 6–4
↓  All-Japan Championships  ↓
1922	Masanosuke Fukuda^[7]		6-2, 6-2, 7-5
1923			5-7, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
1924	Tsumio Tawara		2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, 8-6
1925	Tsumio Tawara		6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
1926			6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
1927		Koichiro Ishii	2-6, 7-5, 6-2, 8-6
1928	Hajime Makino		4-6, 7-5, 8-6, 6-0
1929			6-3, 6-3, 6-2
1930			6-4, 8-6, 6-2
1931	Takeo Kuwabara	Eikichi Itoh	6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
1932			5-7, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
1933	Hideo Nishimura	Jiro Fujikura	6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
1934		Hideo Nishimura	6-0, 6-3, 6-1
1935			7-5, 6-2, 6-2
1936		Akimasa Miura	6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
1937			7-9, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
1938		Tetsuo Takamuku	6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
1939			4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
1940	Haruo Kodera	Nakahara Shiken	6-8, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
1942	Tamotsu Washimi	Shin Tanabe	6-1, 6-0, 6-1
1946	Goro Fujikura	Michihiko Kawazoe	6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
1947		Goro Fujikura	4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-0
1948		Goro Fujikura	6-4, 8-6, 6-3
1949		Goro Fujikura	6-4, 6-2, 6-3
1950		Goro Fujikura	6-0, 5-7, 6-4, 6-0
1951			6-4, 6-3, 6-1
1952			6-3, 6-4, 6-3
1953		Kamo Aya Hitoshi	6-3, 6-2, 6-3
1954			4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
1955		Yoshio Yoshimura	6-1, 9-7, 11-9
1956			7-5, 6-0, 7-5
1957		Yoshihisa Shibata	6-3, 6-1, 6-3
1958			6-2, 6-1, 6-1
1959			6-2, 6-3, 6-3
1960		Takeo Hanna	6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
1961			6-4, 6-3, 6-1
1962			6-4, 2-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
1963		Kose Kamo	6-4, 6-3, 6-1
1964		Mitsuru Motoi	6-4, 2-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
1965
1966
1967			5-7, 6-4, 6-0, 2-6, 6-4
1968			6–3, 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1969	Isao Kobayashi		7–5, 8–6, 6–1
1970			6–2, 6–3, 7–5^[8]
1971		Toshiro Sakai	6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
⬆ All-Japan Championships  ⬆
↓  Japan Open   ↓
1972	Toshiro Sakai		6–3, 6–3
↓  Grand Prix circuit  ↓
1973			6–1, 6–4
1974			3–6, 6–2, 6–3
1975			6–4, 7–5, 6–3
1976			6–3, 6–2
1977			6–2, 6–1
1978			6–3, 6–3
1979			3–6, 7–6, 6–2
1980			3–6, 6–4, 6–0
1981			6–3, 1–6, 7–6
1982			6–2, 2–6, 6–4
1983			7–5, 3–6, 6–1
1984			6–3, 7–5
1985			6–1, 7–6
1986			6–3, 6–1
1987			7–6, 6–4
1988			6–2, 6–2
1989	Stefan Edberg (2)		6–3, 2–6, 6–4
⬆ Grand Prix circuit  ⬆
↓  ATP Tour 500  ↓
1990	Stefan Edberg (3)		6–4, 7–5
1991	Stefan Edberg (4)		6–1, 7–5, 6–0
1992			6–4, 6–4, 7–6
1993			6–2, 6–2, 6–2
	Pete Sampras (2)		6–4, 6–2
	Jim Courier (2)		6–3, 6–4
	Pete Sampras (3)		6–4, 7–5
1997			6–2, 3–6, 6–1
1998			6–3, 6–4
1999			7–6^(7–5), 7–5
2000			6–4, 3–6, 6–1
2001			6–4, 6–2
2002			7–6^(8–6), 6–3
2003			7–6^(7–5), 6–2
2004			5–7, 6–1, 6–3
2005			1–6, 7–6^(9–7), 6–4
			6–3, 6–3
			6–1, 6–2
			6–1, 6–4
			6–3, 6–3
			6–1, 7–5
			3–6, 6–2, 6–0
			7–6^(7–5), 3–6, 6–0
			7–6^(7–5), 7–5
	Kei Nishikori (2)		7–6^(7–5), 4–6, 6–4
			6–2, 6–4
			4−6, 6−3, 7−5
			6−3, 7−5
			6–2, 6–4
			6–3, 6–2
2020	No competition (due to COVID-19 pandemic)^[9] ^[10]
2021
			7–6^(7–3), 7–6^(7–2)
			7–5, 6–1
			5–7, 7–6^(8–6), 6–3

Women's singles

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score
↓  All-Japan Championships  ↓
1924	T. Kuroi
1925	T. Kuroi
1926	S. Hayama
1927	T. Moriwaki
1928	S. Toda
1929	R. Takiguchi
1930	T. Kobayishi
1931	T. Kobayishi
1932	K. Minami
1933	M. Hayashi
1934	M. Hayashi
1935	T. Nakano
1936	S. Toda
1937
1938	T. Kizen
1939	J. Kamo
1940	S. Sawada
1942	M. Yamakawa
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964	H. Schretz
1965	Kazuko Kuramatsu
1966	Yohko Obata
1967
1968
1969
1970^[11]		Kathy Harter	6–3, 7–5.
1971		Duk-Hee Lee	9–7, 4–6, 9–7
1972		Alena Palmeová-West	6–3, 6–0
⬆ All-Japan Championships  ⬆
↓  Japan Open   ↓
1973			6–3, 6–4
1974	Maria Bueno	Katja Ebbinghaus	3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1975		Ann Kiyomura	6–2, 3–6, 6–1
1976			6–1, 6–1
1977	not held
1978		Sonoe Yonezawa	6–4, 6–2
1979			6–1, 3–6, 6–3
1980			6–4, 6–4
1981			2–6, 6–4, 6–1
1982			3–6, 6–4, 6–0
1983			7–5, 6–2
1984			6–4, 6–2
1985			6–3, 6–4
1986			6–2, 6–2
1987			6–2, 6–3
1988			6–3, 7–5
1989			6–4, 6–2
1990			6–3, 6–2
1991			2–6, 6–2, 6–1
1992			7–5, 3–6, 6–3
1993	Kimiko Date (2)		6–1, 6–3
1994	Kimiko Date (3)		7–5, 6–0
1995			7–6, 7–5
1996	Kimiko Date (4)		7–5, 6–4
1997			4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1998	Ai Sugiyama (2)		6–3, 6–3
	Amy Frazier (2)		6–2, 6–2
2000			5–7, 7–5, 6–4
2001			6–3, 6–2
2002			2–6, 6–4, 6–4
2003			2–6, 6–2, 7–6^(7–5)
2004	Maria Sharapova (2)		6–0, 6–1
			7–6^(7–4), 3–2 ret.
2006			2–6, 6–2, 6–2
2007			4–6, 7–6^(9–7), 6–4
			6–2, 3–6, 6–1
2009

Men's doubles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
↓  Grand Prix circuit  ↓
			7–5, 7–5
	not completed due to weather
			7–6, 6–4
			6–4, 6–4
			6–2, 7–6
			6–2, 4–6, 6–1
			3–6, 6–1, 6–1
			6–3, 3–6, 6–4
			3–6, 6–2, 6–1
			6–1, 3–6, 7–6
			6–4, 6–7, 7–6
			6–7, 6–4, 6–3
			7–6, 6–7, 6–3
			6–2, 6–3
			6–4, 7–6
			6–4, 6–7, 6–4
			7–6, 7–6
↓  ATP Tour 500  ↓
			3–6, 6–3, 6–4
			6–4, 5–7, 6–4
			0–6, 7–5, 6–3
			2–6, 6–3, 6–4
			7–5, 6–1
			6–3, 3–6, 7–6
			6–2, 6–3
			2–6, 6–2, 7–6
			6–3, 6–4
			4–3, ret.
			6–4, 6–7, 6–3
			1–6, 7–6, 7–6
			7–6, 6–4
			6–7, 6–3, 7–6
			5–1, ret.
			5–4, 5–4
			6–2, 7–5
			6–4, 6–4
			6–3, 6–4
			6–2, 5–7, [10–8]
			6–3, 6–2
			6–1, 6–4
			6–3, 7–6^(7–5)
			7–6^(7–5), 6–4
			6–3, 6–7^(3–7), [10–5]
			7–6^(7–5), 3–6, [10–7]
			6–2, 7–6^(7–4)
			6–4, 7–6^(7–1)
			6–4, 7–5
			7–6^(9–7), 6–4
2020	no competition (due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2021
			6–4, 3–6, [10–4]
			6–4, 6–1

Women's doubles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1979– 1989	not available
1990			6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1991			6–2, 6–4
1992			5–7, 7–6^(7–5), 6–0
1993			6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1994			6–4, 6–1
1995			6–7, 6–4, 7–6
1996			7–6, 6–7, 6–3
1997			6–4, 6–2
1998			6–3, 4–6, 6–4
			6–3, 6–2
2000			6–1, 6–2
2001			6–2, 6–0
2002			6–4, 4–6, 6–4
2003			7–6^(7–1), 6–0
2004			6–1, 6–4
2005			7–5, 4–6, 6–3
2006			7–6^(7–2), 5–7, 6–2
			1–6, 6–2, [10–6]
			4–6, 7–5, [10–6]
2009

See also

• Pan Pacific Open – women's tournament (since 1973)
• Japan Women's Open – women's tournament (since 2009)

External links

• Official website
• Association of Tennis Professionals tournament profile

35.636°N 139.791°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tournaments: Japan International - Japan Open Championships. The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Madrid, Spain. 24 September 2023. subscription. 15 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230515071923/https://thetennisbase.com/tournaments/. dead.
2. News: Gatto . Luigi . ATP 500 of Tokyo to switch venue . 28 September 2018 . Tennis World USA . 11 May 2018.
3. News: 9 October 1915. Lawn tennis. The Evening Post (Wellington). 21 October 2024.
4. Web site: About JTA. Japanese Tennis Association. 21 October 2024.
5. Web site: Noguchi and Hondama claim All Japan Tennis Championship titles at Tokyo 2020 test event. Inside The Games. 21 October 2024.
6. Web site: Haruka Kaji Wins First Singles Titke at All Japan Tennis Championships. Shimadzu Corporation. 21 October 2024.
7. Book: Robertson, Max. Max Robertson. The Encyclopedia of Tennis. 1974. Viking Press. New York. 272.
8. Book: Barrett . John . Tingay . Lance . West . Peter . World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook . 1971 . Queen Anne Press . London, England . 978-0-362-00091-7 . 287. https://archive.org/details/worldoftennis1970000unse_t8h5/page/287/mode/2up . National Tournaments.
9. Web site: 18 June 2020 . 楽天ジャパンオープン2020の開催中止について . 7 July 2022 . Rakuten Japan Open . ja . 26 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220626014143/https://rakutenopen.com/news-and-media/news/2020/ . dead .
10. Web site: 2 July 2021 . 楽天ジャパンオープン2021の開催中止について . 7 July 2022 . Rakuten Japan Open . ja . 2 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220802112832/https://www.rakutenopen.com/news-and-media/news/2021/ . dead .
11. Book: Barrett . John . Tingay . Lance . West . Peter . World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook . 1971 . Queen Anne Press . London, England . 978-0-362-00091-7 . 287. https://archive.org/details/worldoftennis1970000unse_t8h5/page/287/mode/2up . National Tournaments.