Misaki Doi: Japan’s Next Superstar

Written by: Staff on 26th June 2011

Misaki Doi: Japan's Next Superstar |

Misaki’s highest career singles ranking is 116, but her ranking is set to improve considerably after the Wimbledon Championships.

Born in Yokohama, the 20-year-old has 3 ITF titles to her name. This is her first time playing at Wimbledon. Misaki said she has only played on grass once before, when she was a junior playing a tournament in Birmingham.

The young Japanese player admitted to being very nervous before her first main draw match. She took out world No. 31 Bethanie Mattek-Sands of America, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5. The result was overshadowed by Mattek-Sands’s outfit for the day, the white jacket with dangling tennis balls attached. Doi was a bit surprised about Bethanie’s choice of clothes on the day. Asked in the press conference if she would ever consider wearing something like that, she said, “I don’t think I am suitable for that costume.”

The petite player’s total prize money for 2011 is USD $380 so no matter what happens in the next round the bank balance will get a healthy addition after the Championships. Doi had to play the qualifying event last week at Roehampton. Misaki only dropped one set in her three qualifying matches.

Her second-round main draw match was played against Jie Zheng of China on Court 16 on Thursday. Doi breezed through that match, winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.

Next up for Misaki is Sabine Lisicki from Germany. Lisicki had a surprise win over China’s Na Li. The third-round encounter will be played today, the second match after 12pm on Court 14.