April 2, 2024 | News & Notices Shimadzu Signs Contract with Professional Tennis Player Ikumi Yamazaki
On April 1, Shimadzu Corporation signed an affiliation agreement with professional tennis player Ikumi Yamazaki. Beginning with the W35 Hammamet Open (Tunisia), which will be held from April 7, the player will wear the Shimadzu logo on her right sleeve.
Yamazaki rose to prominence by winning the singles title at the All Japan Junior Indoor Tennis Championships in her high school senior year. She then won the singles title at the All Japan Student Tennis Championships in her junior year of college. In her senior year, she represented Japan at the FISU World University Games, the university student version of the Olympics, and won bronze medals in the doubles and team competitions.
In the future, the team will continue to compete in international tournaments, aiming to compete in the four major tournaments. In addition, as a member of the SHIMADZU Breakers tennis team, she plans to participate in the Japan Tennis League, which decides the number one corporate team in Japan, and to contribute to local community activities.
The “SHIMADZU Breakers” consists of six female players: four professional players and two employees. The team has won the Japan Tennis League championship six times. Shimadzu has been a special sponsor of the Shimadzu All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships since 1996, supporting athletes and people who enjoy sports.
Ikumi Yamazaki Profile
| Date of Birth | August 24, 2001 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth | Chiba, Japan |
| Main Results | 2019 JOC Junior Olympic Cup 40th All-Japan Junior Selected Indoor Singles: Winner 2022 All Japan Student Tennis Championships Singles: Winner ITF$25,000 Nanao Noto Wakura International Women’s Open Tennis 2022 Doubles: Winner ITF$25,000 Makinohara Gosen Cup Swing Beach Makinohara International Women’s Tennis 2022 Singles: Winner ITF$25,000 Hamamatsu Women’s Open Singles: Runner-up 2023 ITF$25,000 Santa Margherita di Pula Doubles: Winner FISU World University Games (Japan) Bronze Medal in Doubles and Team All Japan Inter-University Tennis Championships: 2nd place, team |
| Style of Play | All-around player, utilizing a variety of shots and footwork |
Comments from Ikumi Yamazaki
Starting this year, I will be playing professionally for Shimadzu Corporation. My aim is to become one of the top 100 players in the world rankings and represent Japan. I will continue to do what I need to do one day at a time so that I can prove that I can compete with the world’s top players, even if I am a college-educated player. Thank you very much for your support.