Yosuke Watanuki has loved a powerful begin to the yr following a career-best season on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Japanese participant is doing all of it together with his brother by his aspect.
The 24-year-old, who’s competing at this week’s Monterrey Challenger, is coached by his brother Keisuke, who’s roughly 5 years older. Yosuke, World No. 130 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, claims they’re a dynamic duo.
“I believe it really works for me and makes us stronger,” Watanuki mentioned. “He cares about me a lot. Sometimes individuals assume it isn’t ok as a result of he wasn’t a high participant earlier than, he is younger, or as a result of he hasn’t coached a Top-50 participant. But we’re going up collectively, it is good for us. He can hit and he is good with the psychological aspect of the sport. I believe that is actually good for me. Sometimes we struggle, like brothers do!”
Watanuki has persistently stored his coach’s nook inside the household. Before Keisuke got here on board, the eldest of the three brothers, Yusuke, was his full-time coach till about three years in the past.
After a powerful end to 2022, Watanuki isn’t promoting himself brief for what he can obtain this yr. The former junior World No. 2 has his eyes set on climbing into the Top 100 and past to have a shot at fulfilling a childhood dream.
“My aim for this yr is Top 80,” Watanuki mentioned. “Because subsequent yr is the [Paris] Olympics, I actually need to play there. It’s my dream. And Top 80 will give me an opportunity to play the Olympic video games subsequent yr.”
Watanuki’s late-season surge in 2022 wasn’t with out challenges. Three video games into his first-round match on the ATP 250 in Seoul, the Japanese star rolled his ankle and was compelled to retire towards Jaume Munar. Watanuki then forfeited his wild card on the ATP 500 occasion in Tokyo, which might’ve been his first tour-level occasion on dwelling soil since 2018, when he superior by means of qualifying en path to his maiden tour-level main-draw victory (d. Haase).
Yosuke Watanuki in motion on the 2023 Canberra Challenger. Credit: Anastasia Kachalkova
After recovering from the ankle damage, Watanuki went on a sizzling streak. He gained 14 of 15 Challenger-level matches to shut the season, together with back-to-back titles on the Kobe and Yokkaichi Challengers. The first week of the Asian Challenger swing, Watanuki was a finalist in Yokohama, Japan, earlier than profitable 10 consecutive matches.
“I used to be enjoying properly these three weeks,” Watanuki mentioned. “I used to be getting back from damage, I hadn’t performed that properly the primary half of the yr, and my rating had dropped. But I attempted to play my finest and I used to be shocked to be within the Yokohama closing. Then I went to Kobe, pretty place, I gained my first Challenger title there (2019). The first week, Yokohama, I used to be so pleased. The second one I used to be extra shocked [to be in another final].”
This yr, Watanuki was a semi-finalist on the season-opening Canberra Challenger, the place he misplaced to eventual champion Marton Fucsovics. Watanuki constructed upon his momentum to qualify for his maiden Grand Slam on the 2023 Australian Open.
“When I obtained into the primary draw, I used to be so pleased as a result of I attempted to qualify for a Grand Slam seven occasions earlier than,” Watanuki mentioned. “I had made the ultimate spherical of qualifying two occasions and misplaced each. I used to be somewhat bit nervous this time as a result of I wished to make a Grand Slam this yr for positive. When I gained the ultimate spherical of qualifying, I used to be so pleased. The first match, I used to be so excited to play.”
Watanuki earned a straight-sets victory over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech within the opening spherical earlier than falling to eventual quarter-finalist Sebastian Korda.
Yosuke Watanuki made his Grand Slam debut as a qualifier on the 2023 Australian Open. Credit: Martin Keep/Getty Images
The Saitama native is the third highest-ranked Japanese male, solely behind Yoshihito Nishioka and Taro Daniel. Watanuki attracts inspiration from former World No. 4 and countryman Kei Nishikori, who was a finalist on the 2014 US Open and earned the bronze medal on the 2016 Rio Olympic video games.
Watanuki shared that he admires what Nishikori has completed and the way he’s carried the torch for Japanese tennis the previous decade. Nishikori, who has been plagued with accidents, has not competed since October 2021. The 12-time tour titlist has even provided recommendation to Watanuki.
“Kei made historical past,” Watanuki mentioned. “A Japanese man to be World No. 4, that is good for [other Japanese players] as a result of we expect, ‘We may be there as a result of one other Japanese participant is there!’ Also, Naomi [Osaka] profitable 4 Grand Slams. They give me a lot energy like, ‘I may be there!’
[ATP APP]
“Also, Kei informed me some issues technically and mentally. It’s not straightforward to get recommendation from a Top-4 participant, however that’s so good for me.”
Life on the Challenger Tour isn’t straightforward. With fixed touring and stress mounting as gamers intention for his or her skilled breakthrough, Watanuki has a novel escape from tennis.
“When I keep in Japan, I like to drive my automotive after midnight, late-night drives!” Watanuki mentioned. “Tennis may be so aggravating, a lot stress. When I drive in that second, it is like I really feel nothing. It’s stress-free.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Source: www.atptour.com