Shinobu Asagoe is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 former professional tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 player. She turned professional in 1997, and retired in 2006.

Career

2000 was the first year in which she finished in the WTA

Women's Tennis Association

The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...

 top 100 (no. 72). In the US Open

U.S. Open (tennis)

The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...

 that year, she defeated Patty Schnyder

Patty Schnyder

Patty Schnyder is a retired Swiss professional tennis player. She played on the WTA tour from 1993 to 2011 and is a former World No. 7. She defeated several World No...

, a top 50 player. She also reached her first WTA tour quarterfinal that year at the Princess Cup at Tokyo defeating Ai Sugiyama

Ai Sugiyama

is a retired Japanese professional tennis player. She reached No. 1 in women's doubles on the WTA Tour. Her career-high singles ranking was No. 8, achieved on February 9, 2004. She turned professional in 1992...

 and losing to Monica Seles

Monica Seles

Monica Seles is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player and a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was born in Novi Sad, Serbia, former Yugoslavia to Hungarian parents. She became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994 and also received Hungarian citizenship in June 2007...

. She also represented Japan at the Sydney Olympics.
In 2003, she reached her first WTA tour singles final. In 2004, she reached her second career singles final in Hobart, as well as her first Grand Slam

Grand Slam (tennis)

The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...

 quarterfinal at the US Open

U.S. Open (tennis)

The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...

.
On April 18, 2005, Asagoe reached her career-high singles ranking: 21st. In June, she reached her career high doubles ranking (18th).

Asagoe appeared in one WTA Tour final in Auckland 2003 where she lost to Katarina Srebotnik 5–7, 7–5, 6–4. Asagoe held a 4–0 lead in the second when Srebotnik took an injury timeout. It was seen as a ploy to disturb Asagoe's rhythm and it worked.

Asagoe's most memorable match was a second-round marathon at Wimbledon 2003, when her stressed-out opponent, Daniela Hantuchová

Daniela Hantuchová

Daniela Hantuchová is a Slovak professional tennis player. She turned professional in 1999 and had her breakthrough year in 2002, when she won her first Tier I tournament and ended the year in the top 10.She is currently coached by Larri Passos...

, melted down well on the way to what looked like a routine two-set win. Eventually, after nearly three hours, Asagoe won the contest 12–10 in the third set.

Plays doubles with Katarina Srebotnik; at Australian Open 2006, reached the semifinal, beating (2) Cara Black/Rennae Stubbs 6–3 4–6 6–0. They lost to eventual champions Yan/Zheng in the semifinals. It was a sad day in Asagoe's fans lives as they expected her to grace the title.

At the US Open that same year, she lost her first round match in straight sets to Jelena Kostanić. She had announced the US Open would be her last tournament. In doubles, with Akiko Morigami

Akiko Morigami

Akiko Morigami is a Japanese female tennis player. She turned professional in 1998. On August 15, 2005, Morigami reached her career-high singles ranking: World No. 41....

, they won their first round match 6–1 6–3, and they were to play against the 14th seeds, Bartoli/Peer. Bartoli/Peer were up 6–4 5–2, before Shinobu and Akiko won four straight games to make it 6–5. They held many set points at 6–5, but could not convert, thus forcing a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, they were down 6–2, but somehow managed to win six straight points, thus taking the tiebreaker, saving four straight match points. They took the final set 6–4.

Retirement

Asagoe retired at the 2006 US Open after losing her third round doubles match (with Morigami) to the world's top-ranked team, Lisa Raymond

Lisa Raymond

Lisa Raymond is an American professional tennis player who has achieved notable success in doubles tennis. On June 12, 2000, she reached the world number one ranking in doubles...

 and Samantha Stosur

Samantha Stosur

Samantha "Sam" Jane Stosur is an Australian professional tennis player. She won the 2011 US Open singles title and was a finalist at the 2010 French Open. Stosur is ranked World No. 6 and her career high in singles is World No. 4, achieved on 21 February 2011. She is a former world No...

.

Singles 4

Legend
Grand Slam	0
WTA Championships	0
Tier I	0
Tier II	0
Tier III	0
Tier IV & V	0
Olympic Games	0

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Runner-up	1.	15 June 2003	Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , England	Grass	Magdalena Maleeva Magdalena Maleeva Magdalena Maleeva is a Bulgarian former tennis player. She played on the WTA tour competing in singles and doubles, from April 1989 to June 2007. Her best position in the WTA Tour was no. 4 between January 29 to February 4, 1996....	1–6, 4–6
Runner-up	2.	16 January 2004	Hobart Hobart Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as... , Australia	Hard	Amy Frazier Amy Frazier Amy Frazier is a now inactive professional female tennis player from the United States.She debuted in 1987 and was active player until the 2006 US Open in which she made her 20th consecutive appearance...	3–6, 3–6
Runner-up	3.	8 January 2005	Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand	Hard	Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik is a Slovenian professional tennis player. Srebotnik is right-handed, 1.80 m, weighs 65 kg and lives in Dubai. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on August 7, 2006.Srebotnik won 4 singles titles on the WTA-tour and was a steady top 30...	7–5, 5–7, 4–6

Doubles 13 (9–4)

Legend
Grand Slam	0
WTA Championships	0
Tier I	1
Tier II	1
Tier III	4
Tier IV & V	3
Olympic Games	0

Titles by Surface
Hard	6
Clay	2
Grass	1
Carpet	0

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1.	16 June 2002	Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , England	Grass	Els Callens Els Callens Els Callens was a professional female tennis player from Belgium. She became a pro in January 1990.Her biggest achievement came in 2000 during the Summer Olympics in Sydney where she won the bronze medal in doubles, partnering Dominique Van Roost-Monami.She retired on Wednesday 26 October 2005...	Kimberly Po-Messerli    Nathalie Tauziat Nathalie Tauziat Nathalie Tauziat is a former professional tennis player from France. She was the runner-up in women's singles at the 1998 Wimbledon Championships. Her career-high singles ranking was third in 2000....	6–4, 6–3
Winner	2.	6 October 2002	Japan Open Japan Open Tennis Championships The Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships is a tennis tournament held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park with its center court Ariake Coliseum, located in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. The championship includes both men's and women's, as well as singles and doubles competitions... , Japan	Hard	Nana Miyagi Nana Miyagi Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...	Svetlana Kuznetsova Svetlana Kuznetsova Svetlana Aleksandrovna Kuznetsova ; born June 27, 1985) is a Russian professional tennis player and as of October 10, 2011 ranked No. 21 in the WTA singles and No. 90 in the doubles ranking. Kuznetsova has appeared in four singles Grand Slam finals, winning two, and has also appeared in six doubles...     Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Aránzazu 'Arantxa' Isabel Maria Sánchez Vicario is a Spanish former professional tennis player...	6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Runner-up	3.	30 March 2003	Miami, Florida, USA	Hard	Nana Miyagi Nana Miyagi Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...	Liezel Huber Liezel Huber Liezel Huber is a professional tennis player who competes for, resides in, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan.  On November 12, 2007,...     Magdalena Maleeva Magdalena Maleeva Magdalena Maleeva is a Bulgarian former tennis player. She played on the WTA tour competing in singles and doubles, from April 1989 to June 2007. Her best position in the WTA Tour was no. 4 between January 29 to February 4, 1996....	4–6, 6–3, 5–7
Winner	4.	6 April 2003	Sarasota Sarasota Clay Court Classic The Sarasota Clay Court Classic was a tennis tournament held in Sarasota, Florida, United States. Held in 2002 and 2003, this WTA Tour event was a Tier IV-tournament and was played on outdoor green clay courts.-Singles:-Doubles:-External links:*... , Florida, USA	Clay	Nana Miyagi Nana Miyagi Nana Smith Rogers, previously is a Japanese American tennis player, born in Seattle, Washington. She plays right-handed, and hits both forehand and backhand double-handed. She turned pro in March, 1988, and retired in 2006...	Liezel Huber Liezel Huber Liezel Huber is a professional tennis player who competes for, resides in, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan.  On November 12, 2007,...     Martina Navratilova	6–7(8), 3–6
Winner	5.	16 January 2004	Hobart Moorilla Hobart International The Hobart International is a women's professional tennis tournament held at the Hobart International Tennis Centre in Hobart, Australia. Held since 1994, it forms a part of the Women's Tennis Association Tour and is classed as an International tournament... , Australia	Hard	Seiko Okamoto Seiko Okamoto Seiko Okamoto is a Japanese professional tennis player.Okamoto took part in the 2006 Bangalore Open but lost in the first round of singles qualifying and the first round of doubles alongside Ryoko Fuda. She has won numerous ITF titles...	Els Callens Els Callens Els Callens was a professional female tennis player from Belgium. She became a pro in January 1990.Her biggest achievement came in 2000 during the Summer Olympics in Sydney where she won the bronze medal in doubles, partnering Dominique Van Roost-Monami.She retired on Wednesday 26 October 2005...     Barbara Schett Barbara Schett Barbara Schett Eagle is a former Austrian tennis player, who reached her highest singles ranking, World No. 7, on 13 September 1999. She ended her career at the 2005 Australian Open. Between 1993 to 2004 she played in 48 games for the Austria Fed Cup team, winning 30...	2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner	6.	7 August 2004	Canadian Open, Canada	Hard	Ai Sugiyama Ai Sugiyama is a retired Japanese professional tennis player. She reached No. 1 in women's doubles on the WTA Tour. Her career-high singles ranking was No. 8, achieved on February 9, 2004. She turned professional in 1992...	Liezel Huber Liezel Huber Liezel Huber is a professional tennis player who competes for, resides in, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan.  On November 12, 2007,...     Tamarine Tanasugarn Tamarine Tanasugarn Tamarine Tanasugarn is a professional Thai tennis player. She was born in Los Angeles, United States, and turned professional in 1994. She has been in the top 20 in both singles and doubles....	6–0, 6–3
Winner	7.	10 October 2004	Japan Open Japan Open Tennis Championships The Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships is a tennis tournament held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park with its center court Ariake Coliseum, located in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. The championship includes both men's and women's, as well as singles and doubles competitions... , Japan	Hard	Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik is a Slovenian professional tennis player. Srebotnik is right-handed, 1.80 m, weighs 65 kg and lives in Dubai. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on August 7, 2006.Srebotnik won 4 singles titles on the WTA-tour and was a steady top 30...	Jennifer Hopkins Jennifer Hopkins Jennifer Dent is an American professional tennis player.She has won six International Tennis Federation women's circuit titles in her career and nearly cracked the top 50. In 2001, she reached her first single final in Hobart...     Mashona Washington Mashona Washington Mashona Washington is a professional tennis player from the United States.Mashona's career high singles ranking is no. 50 which she reached on November 8, 2004, and her career high doubles ranking is no...	6–1, 6–4
Winner	8.	8 January 2005	Auckland ASB Classic The ASB Classic is a tennis tournament held in Auckland, New Zealand. Held since 1986, this WTA Tour event is an International series tournament and is played on outdoor hardcourts during the first week of the year.... , New Zealand	Hard	Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik is a Slovenian professional tennis player. Srebotnik is right-handed, 1.80 m, weighs 65 kg and lives in Dubai. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on August 7, 2006.Srebotnik won 4 singles titles on the WTA-tour and was a steady top 30...	Leanne Baker Leanne Baker Leanne Baker is a New Zealand professional tennis player. Her career high WTA singles ranking is 260, which she reached on 26 February 2007. Her career high doubles ranking is 108, set at 17 January 2005...     Francesca Lubiani Francesca Lubiani Francesca Lubiani is a professional tennis player from Italy. Her best score is three times quarter final of single at Cardiff , Oklahoma City and Istanbul .-Doubles 1 :-External links:...	6–3, 6–3
Runner-up	9.	9 October 2005	Japan Open Japan Open Tennis Championships The Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships is a tennis tournament held in Ariake Tennis Forest Park with its center court Ariake Coliseum, located in Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. The championship includes both men's and women's, as well as singles and doubles competitions... , Japan	Hard	María Vento-Kabchi Maria Vento-Kabchi María Alejandra Vento-Kabchi is a professional female tennis player from Venezuela. On July 19, 2004 she reached her career-high singles ranking: World No...	Gisela Dulko Gisela Dulko Gisela Dulko is an Argentine female tennis player, who will, as of 4 July 2011, be ranked World No. 51 in singles and No. 4 in doubles. Although she enjoyed a modest success in singles, reaching No. 26 on November 21, 2005, and winning four WTA Tour titles, her speciality has been doubles, where...     Maria Kirilenko Maria Kirilenko Maria Yuryevna Kirilenko is a Russian professional tennis player. Kirilenko won her first WTA Tour title in 2005, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld in the China Open. Kirilenko reached no. 18, her career-high singles ranking, on the WTA tour in July 2008. She won the junior event at the 2002 Canadian...	5–7, 6–4, 3–6
Winner	10.	16 October 2005	Bangkok, Thailand	Hard	Gisela Dulko Gisela Dulko Gisela Dulko is an Argentine female tennis player, who will, as of 4 July 2011, be ranked World No. 51 in singles and No. 4 in doubles. Although she enjoyed a modest success in singles, reaching No. 26 on November 21, 2005, and winning four WTA Tour titles, her speciality has been doubles, where...	Conchita Martínez Conchita Martínez Inmaculada Concepción Martínez Bernat is a former professional tennis player from Monzón, Aragón, Spain. She is the only Spanish woman to have won the singles title at Wimbledon, when she beat Martina Navrátilová in the 1994 Women's Singles. She also was the singles runner-up at the 1998...     Paola Ruano Pascual	6–1, 7–5
Runner-up	11.	5 March 2006	Acapulco Abierto Mexicano Telcel The Abierto Mexicano Telcel is a tennis tournament held in Acapulco, Mexico. It is an event on both the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour... , Mexico	Clay	Émilie Loit Emilie Loit Émilie Loit is a retired French professional female tennis player. She was born in Cherbourg, France.She rose to fame when she played against American superstar Serena Williams before losing 6–3, 6–7, 5–7 in a tough first round 2003 Australian Open match.In her career Loit has won three career...	Anna-Lena Grönefeld Anna-Lena Grönefeld Anna-Lena Grönefeld is a professional tennis player from Germany. She turned professional in April 2003.As of September 2011, Grönefeld is the No. 12 tennis player from Germany. She was coached and trained by Rafael Font de Mora in Scottsdale, Arizona until 2006...     Meghann Schaughnessy	1–6, 3–6
Runner-up	12.	2 April 2006	Miami, Florida, USA	Hard	Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik is a Slovenian professional tennis player. Srebotnik is right-handed, 1.80 m, weighs 65 kg and lives in Dubai. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on August 7, 2006.Srebotnik won 4 singles titles on the WTA-tour and was a steady top 30...	Liezel Huber Liezel Huber Liezel Huber is a professional tennis player who competes for, resides in, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan.  On November 12, 2007,...     Martina Navratilova	7–6(7), 1–6, 3–6
Winner	13.	9 April 2006	Amelia Island, Florida, USA	Clay	Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik Katarina Srebotnik is a Slovenian professional tennis player. Srebotnik is right-handed, 1.80 m, weighs 65 kg and lives in Dubai. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on August 7, 2006.Srebotnik won 4 singles titles on the WTA-tour and was a steady top 30...	Liezel Huber Liezel Huber Liezel Huber is a professional tennis player who competes for, resides in, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States. Huber has won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with partner Cara Black, one with Lisa Raymond, and two mixed doubles titles with Bob Bryan.  On November 12, 2007,...     Sania Mirza Sania Mirza Sania Mirza is a professional Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003 and is well known for her powerful forehand ground strokes. She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings...	6–2, 6–4

External links