Ayumi Morita lost in the first round in Auckland last year but went on to make her top 50 debut in February, after finishing 2010 with a ranking of 76.

Her best efforts of the season were quarterfinals in Kuala Lumpur in February, in Brussels in May and in Stanford in July.

The 21-year-old is probably best known for winning a marathon three-set battle against New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Her favourite shot is her forehand and favourite surfaces are grass and hard court.