Aragon alumna Ann Kiyomura-Hayashi is a decorated tennis player, to say the least. She is a Wimbledon women’s double champion, juniors singles champion and Australian Open finalist. Kiyomura-Hayashi is from San Mateo, attended Borel Middle School and graduated from Aragon in 1973.
Kiyomura-Hayashi played tennis professionally for 13 years, winning 14 U.S. National singles and doubles titles.
During her senior year in 1973, Kiyomura-Hayashi won the junior Wimbledon singles when she played against Martina Navratilova from Czechoslovakia. The game consisted of two very close sets with Kiyomura-Hayashi winning the first set 6-4 and the second set 7-5.
She also won the National Indoor doubles title, multiple Avon and Virginia Slims tournaments and the Japan Open. Furthermore, Kiyomura-Hayashi represented the U.S. in the Wightman Cup, and also won the Wimbledon doubles with her partner Kazuko Sawamatsu from Japan in 1975.
Kiyomura-Hayashi has many fond memories of her tennis career, but she considers winning the Wimbledon doubles her best memory.
“It was just kind of unbelievable because we were not, my doubles partner [Kazuko Sawamatsu] and I, we were not expected to win,” Kiyomura-Hayashi said. “The team that we played against in the finals [Françoise Dürr, France, and Betty Stöve, Netherlands] had played together for a long time and they were very well known, so when we won it was very exciting. It kind of started the tennis boom in Japan and here in the United States.”
Kiyomura-Hayashi started tennis at a young age and continued until her retirement from the professional level in 1985.
“I started tennis when I was five years old,” Kiyomura-Hayashi said. “I liked it and I got pretty good at it … at Aragon, the women’s tennis circuit had just been made available where we as women could try to play tennis and make it a profession, so I decided that I would turn professional and see how I did.”
Kiyomura-Hayashi also competed in the Australian, French and U.S. Open. The only other doubles final Kiyomura-Hayashi played in was the 1980 Australian Open with Candy Reynolds. They lost to Americans Betsy Nagelsen and Martina Navratilova 6-4, 6-4.
Kiyomura-Hayashi is grateful for all the support that Aragon gave her on and off the court.
“[Some Aragon teachers] let me practice with the [boys] team. So it was nice in that way that I got to practice with the boys because there was no girls tennis team at the time,” Kiyomura-Hayashi said. “[With flexible scheduling], we only had to do like math three times a week and social studies maybe two days a week, and we just broke them up … I could be finished by noon time. So then I was able to go home and I then I could practice tennis for the rest of the afternoon.”
“If any of them would need a helping hand, she would be there for help and support”
In addition to her passion for tennis, Kiyomura-Hayashi enjoyed other hobbies and academic interests.
“I loved typing and home economics classes at Aragon,“ said Kiyomura-Hayashi. “On tour, I enjoyed relaxing with knitting or doing needlework. I was a piano player, which I might have become if I didn’t play tennis.”
Because she knows that not everyone has a passion for sports, Kiyomura-Hayashi encourages students to be involved in high school and pursue their interests.
“I think it is very good for people at high school age and middle school to be active in some kind of program,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be sports. It could be drama, or it could be writing for the newspaper. Things like that. Anything. Just to be involved is really, very very helpful for yourself, for your self-esteem. It’s good to have good memories of your high school days.”
Kiyomura-Hayashi is more than just a tennis champion. Kiyomura-Hayashi’s friend Eva Lau, sister Vicki Uchino and husband David Hayashi noted her kindness.
“If I have to give you just one favorite thing about my sister, then I would have to say it is her caring personality,” Uchino said. “Throughout her professional tennis career, she met lots of people from all over the country. To this day, she always makes it a point to keep in touch by writing letters, cards, postcards or calling them on the phone. If any of them would need a helping hand, she would be there for help and support.”
Kiyomura-Hayashi loves spending time with friends and family.
“When my daughter graduated from college and Ann’s daughter graduated from high school, Ann suggested a trip for the four of us to London and Paris. The highlight of the trip was spending time at Wimbledon,” Lau said. “Ann arranged the trip and the two girls and myself just followed her lead. She was able to get us on the grounds the day before the tournament started … Being able to enter and view the trophy room was special, especially seeing her name engraved on the wall and perpetually etched into the doubles trophy was certainly memorable.”
In addition to her compassion, Kiyomura-Hayashi has a very determined mindset.
“Diligence and determination define Ann. She will learn new things like Japanese Chess, and practice until she is beating anyone around,” Hayashi said. “She doesn’t show being discouraged and keeps practicing until she is as good as she can be. I have never seen Ann quit anything due to frustration or lack of trying.”
