# 2005 AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships – Women's singles

Maria Sharapova was the two-time defending champion, but decided not to participate that year.
Second-seeded Nicole Vaidišová was leading 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 3–2 in the final against third-seeded Tatiana Golovin, when Golovin retired due to an achilles tendon injury, giving Vaidišová the title. This remains one of the youngest finals in WTA history.

## Seeds

* Vera Zvonareva (quarterfinals)
* Nicole Vaidišová (champion)
* Tatiana Golovin (final, retired due to an achilles tendon injury)
* Maria Kirilenko (semifinals)
* Ai Sugiyama (quarterfinals)
* Gisela Dulko (second round)
* Shinobu Asagoe (second round)
* Sania Mirza (semifinals)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 8 | Sania Mirza | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| 3 | Tatiana Golovin | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 3 | Tatiana Golovin | 6 | 6 | 3 | Tatiana Golovin | 6$^4$ | 2$^r$ |
| | | | | 2 | Nicole Vaidišová | 7$^7$ | 3 |
| 4 | Maria Kirilenko | 4 | 2 | 2 | Nicole Vaidišová | 7$^7$ | 3 |
| 2 | Nicole Vaidišová | 6 | 6 | | | | |

### Top half

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1 | V Zvonareva | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Castaño | 2 | 6$^4$ | | 1 | V Zvonareva | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Bartoli | 4 | 4 | | | S Pe'er | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Pe'er | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 1 | V Zvonareva | 7 | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| | M Washington | 7$^8$ | 1 | 1 | | | | | | 8 | S Mirza | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | A Nakamura | 6$^6$ | 6 | 6 | | A Nakamura | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | V Castellvi | 1 | 3 | | 8 | S Mirza | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | S Mirza | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | S Mirza | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | T Golovin | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | T Golovin | 6 | 6 |
| | A Spears | 4 | 2 | | 3 | T Golovin | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Suchá | 1 | 0 | | WC | S Obata | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | S Obata | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 3 | T Golovin | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | C Pin | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 5 | A Sugiyama | 6 | 2 | 2 | | | | |
| | L Granville | 7 | 1 | 4 | | C Pin | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Jidkova | 1 | 6$^5$ | | 5 | A Sugiyama | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | A Sugiyama | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 6 | G Dulko | 2 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | S-w Hsieh | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | G Dulko | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Jackson | 6 | 1 | 1 | | J Craybas | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Craybas | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | J Craybas | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
| PR | H Nagyová | 6$^7$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 4 | M Kirilenko | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| | T Garbin | 7$^9$ | 1 | 2 | PR | H Nagyová | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | A Morita | 4 | 4 | | 4 | M Kirilenko | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | M Kirilenko | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | M Kirilenko | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | S Asagoe | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | N Vaidišová | 6 | 6 |
| | M Vento-Kabchi | 3 | 3 | | 7 | S Asagoe | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | S Arvidsson | 1 | 6 | 6 | Q | S Arvidsson | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | S Brémond | 6 | 3 | 0 | | | | | | Q | S Arvidsson | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| | S Bammer | 6 | 5 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | 2 | N Vaidišová | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | R Fujiwara | 0 | 7 | 0 | | R Fujiwara | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Morigami | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | N Vaidišová | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | N Vaidišová | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |