16 Facts About Ichiya Kumagae

Ichiya "Ichy" Kumagae was a Japanese tennis player and the first Japanese Olympic medalist.

Ichiya Kumagae was sent to play in the 1913 Far Eastern Games held in Manila, marking the first overseas competition for a Japanese tennis player.

Ichiya Kumagae reached the singles semi-finals and the doubles finals, and his form was influenced by United States champion Bill Johnson, whose short stature had earned him the moniker "Little Bill".

Ichiya Kumagae went on to win both singles and doubles at the 1915 Far Eastern Games in Shanghai.

Ichiya Kumagae spent a total of three months in the United States, during which he competed in 60 matches.

Ichiya Kumagae won the singles title at the Newport Casino Invitational, defeating Bill Johnston, the 1915 US National champion, in the final in five sets.

Ichiya Kumagae did not lose a single match on a clay court, and lost only four matches on grass courts, rising to the US rank of No 5.

Ichiya Kumagae would go on to reach as high as No 3 in the US rankings in 1919.

Ichiya Kumagae continued to play tennis, and advanced to the semi-finals at the 1918 US National Championships, but lost to local favorite and seven-time winner Bill Tilden in three straight sets.

In 1919 Ichiya Kumagae won the New York State Championships and the Great Lakes championship, played in Buffalo, defeating Bill Tilden in the final of the latter.

Ichiya Kumagae is best known for his two Olympic silver medals at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, marking the first Olympic medals won by any Japanese athlete.

Ichiya Kumagae was Japan's first Davis Cup captain, including the runner-up finish in 1921.

Ichiya Kumagae withdrew from the Davis Cup qualification matches in 1922, citing his age, and in 1924 published a book on tennis.

Ichiya Kumagae served as a tennis instructor to Princess Nagako, the future Empress Kojun.

Ichiya Kumagae wrote a technical manual on tennis in 1953.

Ichiya Kumagae died at his hometown of Omuta, Fukuoka on 16 August 1968.