Career
In 1995-1997 she figured in the top hundred in the world ranking in singles, taking a highest ranking in March 1997 - World Number. 44 (the season ended 1996 as the world"s 50th best player)
Naoko"s best results include the semi-finals singles Women's Tennis Association Tour tournament in Jakarta (defeated by the highest seeded Belgian Sabine Appelmans) and Tokyo (Japan Open) in 1996. Quarterfinals in Strasbourg in 1997.
Third round in the United States Open 1996 and Wimbledon in 1997.
Greater successes was in doubles. Kijimuta and Miyagi also appeared in many semi-finals of tournaments and several times in the last eight of Grand Slam events (Wimbledon, French Open and United States Open 1997, Wimbledon 1998 - this time victory over the Williams sisters by default).
Naoko Kijimuta played doubles in the Federation Cup in 1997-1998, partnering Nana Miyagi and Kyoko Nagatsuka, but lost all three games. Her tennis career ended in September 1998, at the Toyota Princess Cup tournament in Tokyo, where she successfully passed the qualifying in the singles to be defeated in the first round of the main draw to German Anke Huber in three sets.
Also the first round of the tournament in doubles (along with Rika Hiraki) ended in defeat.
Her career earnings was less than half a million dollars.