From lifting a Grand Slam title to being arrested over suspicion of fraud, it has been a downward spiral for Rika Hiraki who could be facing the consequences following the possible involvement in an online scam by police in Japan.
The Japanese is most famous for winning the 1997 French Open mixed doubles title, by far her greatest success on court. She primarily focused on doubles with some singles tournaments also played, but with a lot less success.
Winning a total of six WTA doubles titles from 13 finals in her career, the obvious highlight was that triumph at Roland Garros. She teamed up with Indian Mahesh Bhupathi as they charged through the rounds before dropping just five games in the final to seal glory.
She became the first player from her nation to win a major title in over two decades. She reached a doubles ranking high of 26th and in singles 72nd with her best run at a Grand Slam in this category being the third round on three separate occasions at the Australian Open along with Wimbledon in 1992.
Hiraki in hot water after accusation of fraud
That success is a long way in the past now. In the current day, the 54-year-old is in trouble after she has been accused of scamming a woman out of 300,000 yen (£1300-£1400) four years ago.
According to the Kochi Prefectural Police, this woman was targeted in particular. A certain person posed as a male orthopaedic surgeon at a hospital in Paris. It was then communicated that the 'surgeon' needed money to cover the cost of a certificate needed for customs to release his deceased wife’s belongings that had been shipped to Japan.
The money was transferred on May 30th 2022. On that particular day, CCTV footage clearly showed Hiraki taking money out of that specific account. This was also registered in her name. The Kyodo News Agency has also reported that other people have also enquired about something similar occurring to them.
The incident in question was latched onto by investigators when they were looking into a fraud ring, separate from this case. Prosecutors have commented that around 270,000 yen was ‘funnelled’ through a cryptocurrency account before being moved elsewhere. This account also happened to be in the name of Hiraki.
These accusations were quickly shut down by the Japanese who denied any involvement. "I have no memory of this," she told police.
Following her tennis career, she is now an office worker in Shiroi according to an official statement, a city located in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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