Rising Star Alert: 18-Year-Old Rei Sakamoto Makes History with Shocking Decision to Turn Pro
Rei Sakamoto Turns Pro: Aiming for Grand Slam Victory
On the 20th, IMG announced that the world’s third-ranked junior men’s tennis player, Rei Sakamoto, has announced his decision to turn professional. At the press conference, Sakamoto revealed his ambitious goal: “I want to win a Grand Slam.”
Sakamoto’s Junior Career Highlights
The 18-year-old Sakamoto won his first Grand Slam junior title at the Australian Open in January this season. He is the second Japanese man to win a Grand Slam junior title after Shintaro Mochizuki, who won the Wimbledon junior title in July 2019.
Sakamoto continued to compete in junior Grand Slam tournaments, with his last junior tournament being the US Open this month. Although he lost in the semifinals in singles, he won the doubles tournament as the number one seed with M. Mrba (Czech Republic). He became the fourth Japanese man in history to win a junior doubles title at a Grand Slam tournament.
Sakamoto’s Professional Debut
Sakamoto has now announced his intention to turn professional. He held a press conference at Ariake Coliseum and declared his decision as follows:
“I am Sakamoto Rei, and as of today I will be turning professional. I would like to thank all of the media for gathering here today. And I would also like to thank Honorary Chairman Morita. I would not be here today without his support. From now on I would like to give back by working hard as a professional. Thank you very much.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me up until now. I would like to thank Yonex, who have supported me since I was a child, IMG Academy, who have provided me with the best environment, Homare High School, who have supported me in various ways, Cherry Tennis Club, who have taught me the joy of tennis, all my teammates who have practiced with me, my family, who have helped to raise me to be strong, and everyone who has been involved.”
Sakamoto’s Goals and Aspirations
“When I was little, watching Kei Nishikori on TV gave me dreams. My goal as a tennis player is to be the one to give dreams to others, and to bring a smile to the faces of those who watch me. I want to be that kind of player. To achieve that, I will aim to win a Grand Slam tournament. Thank you.”
Upcoming Tournament Appearances
On this day, Sakamoto was given a wild card for the singles qualifiers of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships 2024. It was also revealed that he will pair with Nishikori in the main doubles.
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