2006 marked her debut, via sponsor recommendation, in the All Japan Tennis Championships women's singles draw; however, a first-round loss abruptly ended her tournament run.

As a freshman at Osaka Sangyo's high school in 2007, Nara won the Under-18 singles title at the All-Japan Junior Tennis Championships.

They placed second overall, becoming only the second Japanese women's doubles pair to reach the finals of a Grand Slam juniors event since Yuka Yoshida and Hiroko Mochizuki at the 1993 US Open.

The Nara/Doi team went on to reach the junior doubles semifinals at the 2007 US Open and 2008 Wimbledon Championships, in addition to strong performances at smaller tournaments.

The next year, she partnered with Kimiko Date-Krumm to win the Kangaroo Cup in Gifu, and the title at the Hamanako Open.

She advanced to the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the 2010 French Open with a three set win over Monica Niculescu in the qualifiers.

At four hours and 42 minutes, it was said to be the longest women's Grand Slam qualifier or main-draw match in history.

[3] She also qualified for Wimbledon, and won her first Grand Slam main-draw singles match in two sets, over Mariana Duque Mariño.

July marked Nara's first appearance representing Japan in Fed Cup competition; she notched a win in doubles with partner Rika Fujiwara in the playoffs against Argentina.

She advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, with a straight-set upset victory over 19th-seeded Sorana Cîrstea.

After four early exits in Tashkent, Guangzhou, Tokyo and Beijing, Nara regained some form in her home city at the Japan Women's Open.

[6] In early February, Nara competed in Fed Cup competition for Japan against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

[14] In a rematch from the Fed Cup, Nara again was defeated by lucky loser Paula Ormaechea in her first-round match at the Italian Open.

[21] Partnering with Hiroko Kuwata, they reached the final in doubles and were defeated by the second-seeded team of Shuko Aoyama / Gabriela Dabrowski.

[25] In September, she lost to eighth seed Carla Suárez Navarro in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open.

Nara began season in January at the Auckland Open where she fell in the second round to third seed and eventual champion Venus Williams.

[41] After Wimbledon, Nara played at the İstanbul Cup and lost in the second round to eighth seed Tsvetana Pironkova.

At the US Open, Nara upset 27th seed Alizé Cornet in the first round[45] and lost in the second to American qualifier Shelby Rogers.

[46] The final tournament of her career was the Pan Pacific Open in September where she competed as a qualifying wildcard and lost in the second round to Isabella Shinikova.

Her serve lacks the punch of players like Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova, but depends on placement and spin.

Her short stature has definitely shaped her play style which, while aggressive, does not emphasize power, but more swinging the momentum in her favour and finishing the point off.

Only main-draw results in WTA Tour, Grand Slam tournaments, Fed Cup/Billie Jean King Cup and Olympic Games are included in win–loss records.