Takao Suzuki
Takao Suzuki (Japanese铃木 贵 男, Suzuki Takao, born September 20, 1976 in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture) is a Japanese tennis player.
Life and career
Suzuki was during his career primarily on the Challenger tour very successful. He won a total of 24 titles, including 16 in the singles and eight doubles. He is, together with Lu Yen -Hsun, who won also 16 Challenger single title record holder in this category. At the World Tour he celebrated his victory in the doubles competition at the home tournament in Tokyo, his greatest success. Together with Satoshi Iwabuchi he defeated Simon Aspelin and Todd in the final Perry in straight sets. At Grand Slam tournaments he reached the Australian Open in 2005 and Wimbledon in 2003, respectively the second round in singles. Overall, twice he took part in the Australian Open in doubles competition and in 2005 reached the knockout stages.
At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta Suzuki took part for the Japanese team at the doubles competition. Again he played together with Satoshi Iwabuchi, with whom he nearly defeated in the first round of the Venezuelan Juan Carlos Bianchi and Nicolás Pereira in three sets. However, in the second round they lost just as the Spaniards Sergi Bruguera and Tomás Carbonell.
Since 1995, Suzuki plays for the Japanese Davis Cup team. Currently with 41 games won and 31 played matches Suzuki is not only the most successful player of the Japanese Davis Cup history, but also simultaneously record player in his country.