Catalina Cristea defeated Ai Sugiyama 7-5 3-6 6-1 in the Berlin round of 64 on grass. The upset overturned the form book — Ai Sugiyama came in leading the head-to-head 1–0, defending last year's round of 64. Catalina Cristea claimed a first win over Ai Sugiyama in two meetings, narrowing the head-to-head to 1–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-13 | Australian Open | R128 | hard | Ai Sugiyama | 7-6(3) 6-4 |
Averages over each player's completed matches in the selected window. ATP, WTA & Challenger.