Masaaki Morita Tennis Fund: Empowering Japan’s Next Generation of Tennis Stars

Unlocking Opportunities for Junior Players to Study Abroad

The Masaaki Morita Tennis Fund (MMTF), a public interest incorporated foundation, is dedicated to nurturing Japan’s future tennis champions. As part of its mission, the MMTF is recruiting scholarship recipients for 2024 to support overseas study for junior players who aspire to become world-class athletes.

A Legacy of Success

The MMTF has a proven track record of supporting talented junior players, including Kei Nishikori (UNIQLO/world rank 201) and Yoshihito Nishioka (MIKIHOUSE/world rank 54). These athletes, who received significant support from the MMTF during their junior days, went on to gain invaluable experience overseas and eventually became top-ranked players.

Recent Achievements

In 2019, Shintaro Mochizuki (Kinoshita Group/ranked 147th) made history by becoming the first Japanese male to win the Wimbledon Junior Championship, thanks in part to the support he received from the MMTF since he was 13 years old. More recently, Sakamoto Rei (Homare High School/ITF Junior World Ranking 3rd) became the second Japanese male to win a Grand Slam junior singles title at the Australian Open. Additionally, 16-year-old Sonobe Yasao (Yono Tennis Club/ITF Junior World Ranking 6th) achieved impressive results by finishing second in the US Open junior women’s singles.

Eligibility and Application Details

The MMTF is now accepting applications for its 2024 scholarship program. To be eligible, junior players must meet the following requirements:

* Be a Japanese national junior player who is in the top four or higher in the U-14 boys’ singles or girls’ singles of the 2024 “National Junior Tennis Championships” or “All Japan Junior Championships”
* Be a Japanese junior player (with Japanese nationality) born on or after April 2, 2012, who places in the top four or higher in the U-12 boys’ singles or girls’ singles of the 2024 “National Selected Junior Tennis Championships,” “National Elementary School Tennis Championships,” or “All Japan Junior Championships”

The application period begins on October 1, 2024. The selection process will involve a document screening, followed by a selection meeting in Japan and a final selection in the United States.

Scholarship Details

Successful applicants will receive a comprehensive scholarship package, including:

* Annual round-trip ticket between Haneda and the US
* Accommodation at a tennis academy (training and dormitory)
* Travel expenses decided by the academy

Note that athletes who have signed sponsorship contracts or financial support from other companies or organizations will not be eligible to proceed to the selection process.