1. Overview
Erika Takao (高雄 恵利加Takao ErikaJapanese, born October 12, 1987) is a retired Japanese professional tennis player. She achieved her career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 128 on November 6, 2006, and her highest doubles ranking of No. 270 on October 31, 2011. Takao notably won the All Japan Tennis Championships women's singles title twice, in 2006 and 2012. She turned professional in 2005 and concluded her career after the 2013 Japanese National Championships, following ten years on the ITF Women's Circuit.
2. Early Life and Background
Erika Takao's early life was marked by her introduction to tennis at a young age and her unique educational path, laying the foundation for her professional career.
2.1. Birth and Childhood
Erika Takao was born on October 12, 1987, in Narashino, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. She began playing tennis at the age of seven. From 1998, she received coaching from Kyoko Nagatsuka, a prominent Japanese women's tennis player, which significantly influenced her early development in the sport.
2.2. Education
Takao attended Shibuya Education Academy Makuhari Junior and Senior High School but withdrew. She then continued her education through the correspondence course at Chiba Prefectural Chiba East High School before graduating from the correspondence course at Gakugeikan High School. This flexible educational path allowed her to balance her studies with her burgeoning tennis career.
3. Career
Erika Takao's professional tennis career spanned nearly a decade, marked by significant victories in her home country, participation in major international circuits, and a consistent presence on the ITF tour.
3.1. Professional Debut and Early Years
Erika Takao officially turned professional in February 2005. Her early career saw her gaining experience on the ITF Women's Circuit. In 2008, after a decade of coaching under Kyoko Nagatsuka, their professional relationship concluded, and Takao relocated her training base to Osaka to continue her development.
3.2. Major Titles
Takao secured two significant titles at the All Japan Tennis Championships, a prestigious national tournament.
- In 2006, as the second seed, she advanced to her first final at the championship. She defeated the top seed, Aiko Nakamura, with a score of 7-6, 6-4, to claim her first national singles title.
- Six years later, in 2012, Takao won the women's singles title for a second time, defeating Ryozuki Yamagai in the final.
3.3. WTA Tour and Grand Slam Qualifiers
Takao reached her career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 128 on November 6, 2006. Her highest doubles ranking was No. 270, achieved on October 31, 2011. She attempted to qualify for the main draws of Grand Slam tournaments, beginning with the US Open qualifiers in 2006, though she did not advance to the main draw. In 2007, she participated in the qualifiers for all four Grand Slams:
- At the Australian Open, she reached the first qualifying round (Q1).
- At the French Open, she also reached the first qualifying round (Q1).
- At Wimbledon, she advanced to the second qualifying round (Q2), where she was defeated by fellow Japanese player Ayumi Morita with a score of 1-6, 7-6, 1-6.
- At the US Open, she again reached the first qualifying round (Q1).
3.4. Fed Cup Participation
Following her performance at Wimbledon in 2007, Takao was selected to represent Japan in the Fed Cup (now known as the Billie Jean King Cup) for the first time. She participated in the World Group Play-off tie against Germany, held in Toyota, Japan, on July 14-15, 2007. During this tie, she achieved a notable victory over Angelique Kerber, who was then ranked No. 73, with a score of 6-3, 6-2. Despite her win, the Japanese team ultimately lost the tie to Germany, 2-3.
3.5. ITF Circuit Finals
Erika Takao participated in numerous finals on the ITF Women's Circuit throughout her career, achieving success in both singles and doubles.
3.5.1. Singles Finals
Takao competed in 15 singles finals on the ITF Circuit, winning 4 titles and finishing as runner-up 11 times.
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 31 October 2004 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Yurika Sema | 6-3, 6-7(4-7), 0-6 |
| Loss | 2. | 24 April 2005 | Yamaguchi, Japan | Clay | Lauren Breadmore | 3-6, 2-6 |
| Loss | 3. | 24 July 2005 | Kurume, Japan | Grass | Hsieh Su-wei | 2-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 4. | 25 September 2005 | Ibaraki, Japan | Hard | Petra Cetkovská | 6-2, 5-7, 3-6 |
| Win | 1. | 7 May 2006 | Gifu, Japan | Carpet | Aiko Nakamura | 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 |
| Win | 2. | 9 July 2006 | Nagoya, Japan | Hard | Shiho Hisamatsu | 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 |
| Win | 3. | 16 July 2006 | Miyazaki, Japan | Carpet | Tomoko Yonemura | 7-5, 6-3 |
| Loss | 5. | 6 August 2006 | Tokachi, Japan | Carpet | Ayumi Morita | 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(6-8) |
| Loss | 6. | 22 October 2006 | Makinohara, Japan | Carpet | Chuang Chia-jung | 0-6, 4-6 |
| Loss | 7. | 15 April 2007 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Hard | Seiko Okamoto | 1-6, 2-6 |
| Loss | 8. | 22 July 2007 | Kurume, Japan | Grass | Ayumi Morita | 1-6, 1-3 ret. |
| Win | 4. | 25 May 2008 | Nagano, Japan | Carpet | Lee Jin-a | 6-4, 6-1 |
| Loss | 9. | 14 June 2009 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Erika Sema | 4-6, 0-6 |
| Loss | 10. | 13 June 2010 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Shuko Aoyama | 6-7(3-7), 3-6 |
| Loss | 11. | 15 January 2012 | Pingguo, China | Hard | Zhao Yijing | 2-6, 4-6 |
3.5.2. Doubles Finals
Takao reached 6 doubles finals on the ITF Circuit, winning 2 titles and finishing as runner-up 4 times.
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 4 February 2011 | Burnie, Australia | Hard | Natsumi Hamamura | Olivia Rogowska Sally Peers | 6-2, 3-6, [10-7] |
| Runner-up | 1. | 28 May 2011 | Changwon, Korea | Hard | Yurika Sema | Chan Hao-ching Zheng Saisai | 2-6, 6-4, [9-11] |
| Runner-up | 2. | 3 September 2011 | Tsukuba, Japan | Hard | Kim So-jung | Chan Chin-wei Hsu Wen-hsin | 1-6, 1-6 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 10 August 2012 | Bursa, Turkey | Clay | Remi Tezuka | Melanie Klaffner Laura Ioana Andrei | 2-6, 2-6 |
| Winner | 2. | 18 August 2012 | Istanbul, Turkey | Hard | Remi Tezuka | Nicha Lertpitaksinchai Peangtarn Plipuech | 2-6, 7-6, [10-3] |
| Runner-up | 4. | 25 May 2013 | Karuizawa, Japan | Grass | Miki Miyamura | Shiho Akita Sachie Ishizu | 5-7, 6-7(8-10) |
4. Playing Style
Erika Takao was a right-handed player who utilized a double-handed backhand. Despite her relatively small stature, standing at 59 in (150 cm) and weighing 115 lb (52 kg), she was known for her powerful shots. Her game strategy leveraged her strength to deliver forceful strokes, making her a formidable opponent on the court.
5. Retirement
Erika Takao announced her retirement from professional tennis on November 7, 2013. Her final competitive appearance was at the All Japan Tennis Championships in 2013, marking the end of her ten-year career on the professional circuit. She retired with total career prize money of 147.91 K USD, and an overall career record of 285 wins and 222 losses across singles and doubles.
6. Legacy and Assessment
Erika Takao's career is primarily assessed through her achievements in national and international tennis, particularly her resilience and ability to compete at a high level despite physical characteristics that were relatively small compared to many of her contemporaries. Her two championships at the All Japan Tennis Championships highlight her prowess within Japanese tennis. Her participation in Grand Slam qualifiers and the Fed Cup also underscore her representation of Japan on the global stage. Her powerful playing style, despite her stature, left an impact on the sport.