AP Photo 4 months ago

Ai Sugiyama of Japan waves fans goodbye after her final doubles match against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the finals at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. This game was the final match of Sugiyama's 17-year carrier...

AP Photo 4 months ago

Ai Sugiyama of Japan cries as she leaves the court after her final doubles match against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the finals at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. This game was the final match of Sugiyama's...

AP Photo 4 months ago

Ai Sugiyama of Japan, right, and her doubles partner Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia hug each other after their loss to Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the final at the Pan Pacific Open women's tennis tournament in Tokyo Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. This was final...

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama of Japan warms up prior to her doubles final match with her partner Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia against Francesca Schiavone of Italy and Alisa Kleybanova of Russia during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum on...

Getty Images 4 months ago

Retiring Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama delivers a speech during the awards ceremony of the women's doubles final against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Italian player Francesca Schiavone in the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 3, 2009.

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama of Japan signs autographs for her fans after a ceremony during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum on October 3, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama of Japan and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia laughafter playing their doubles final match against Francesca Schiavone of Italy and Alisa Kleybanova of Russia during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum on October 3,...

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama (L) of Japan and Daniela Hantuchova (2nd L) of Slovakia and Alisa Kleybanova (2nd R) of Russia and Francesca Schiavone (R) of Italy hold their trophies after playing their doubles final match during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament...

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama of Japan and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia hug after playing their doubles final match against Francesca Schiavone of Italy and Alisa Kleybanova of Russia during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum on October 3,...

Getty Images 4 months ago

Retiring Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama (2nd L) smiles as she shakes hands with players Alisa Kleybanova of Russia (R), Francesca Schiavone (2nd R) of Italy, and Daniela Hantuchova (L) of Slovakia at the end of their women's doubles final of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo...

Getty Images 4 months ago

Ai Sugiyama of Japan (R) and Daniela Hantuchova (L) of Slovakia play in the women's doubles final aginast Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Italian player Francesca Schiavone at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 3, 2009.

Getty Images 4 months ago

Retiring Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama (front C) recieves an autograph request from Italian player Francesca Schiavone (L) as Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia (R) rests following the women's doubles final in the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 3, 2009. At right is Slovakian...

Getty Images 4 months ago

Retiring Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama (front L) and her Slovakian partner Daniela Hantuchova (front R) are surrounded by photographers after the women's doubles final against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Italian Francesca Schiavone in the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on...

Getty Images 4 months ago

TOKYO - OCTOBER 03: Ai Sugiyama (R) of Japan smiles during a ceremony during day seven of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum on October 3, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. Sugiyama retires from tennis after playing in this tournament.

Ai Sugiyama of Japan waves as she bids farewell to fans after her final doubles match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo October 3, 2009.

Japanese tennis player Ai Sugiyama is mobbed by the media as she flashes a thumbs up after her final doubles match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo October 3, 2009.

AP Photo 8 months ago

Japan's Ai Sugiyama returns the ball during a training session at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday May 24, 2009.

Getty Images 9 months ago

Japanese Ai Sugiyama hits a return against French Amelie Mauresmo during their match of the WTA Madrid Masters claycourt tournament on May 11, 2009. Mauresmo won 6-2, 6-4.

AP Photo 9 months ago

Japan's Ai Sugiyama returns the ball to France's Alize Cornet during their tennis match at the Italian Rome Masters tennis tournament in Rome, Monday, May 4, 2009.

Ai Sugiyama of Japan returns a shot to Alize Cornet of France during their match at the Rome Masters tennis tournament May 4, 2009.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama returns a shot next to her team mate Ayumi Morita during their Fed Cup World Group II playoff double tennis match against Poland in Gdynia April 26, 2009.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama looks at her team mate Ayumi Morita (R) during their Fed Cup World Group II playoff doubles tennis match against Poland in Gdynia April 26, 2009.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama returns a shot as her team mate Ayumi Morita looks on during their Fed Cup world group II play-off double tennis match against Poland in Gdynia April 26, 2009.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama serves to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska during their Fed Cup World Group II play-off tennis match in Gdynia April 26, 2009.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama reacts after losing a point to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska during second day of the Fed Cup world group II play-off tennis match between Poland and Japan in Gdynia, April 26, 2009.