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Which Japanese player do you think has the best prospect for future success?

2K views 39 replies 5 participants last post by  chewy 
#1 ·
When I said "future success", I meant something along the lines of a regular top-5 ranking, plenty of TMS titles and/or a GS victory (in the singles, not just the doubles).

I read in an article in 'The Japan Times', which had an interview with Nick Bollettieri. He mentioned that he's got two prospective guys training at a facility he's funding: Genki Tomita and Kei Nishikori. Both are around 14 or 15, I think, and he's made a point with Nishikori's aggressive attacking game which he thinks will become a crucial weapon for him.

Opinions?
 
#2 ·
i wish all d japanese players success, but which one has the best prospect i have no idea coz i dont know enough abt them :unsure: , i havn't heard of the names u mention though its good for japanese tennis(n tennis overall) that they're funding younger players. some new blood from asia is always a good thing, i'd love to see more asians in d top100 in d near future.

Takao Suzuki's probably the only japanese player i know. :scratch:
 
#5 ·
It is said that Takahiro Ittogi is the brightest hope.
Kei Nishikori seems to be good too.
But whether they will have success at big tourneys on regular basis is another question.

and Cindy, I can understand those names you wrote. Thank you.
杉山愛 = Ai Sugiyama
浅越しのぶ(not 忍) = Shinobu Asagoe
 
#6 ·
Cindy19 said:
:shrug: i know some japanese players, but i can't understand their names in English...
you see山杉爱,浅越忍...
do you understand?
The first one's Ai Sugiyama. I'm not sure about the second one, but I'm positive the characters are supposed to read "浅越しのぶ" (Asagoe Shinobu).

Both are WTA players, and both have done relatively well, though not fantastic.

Sailor: I have not heard much about Ittogi. Can you tell me a bit more about his game?

Here's the article I read on Nishikori and Tomita:

Top coach Bollettieri backhands rule changes

By JOHN MAYLAM
Staff writer

The Japan Times: In Japan we have some talented female players in Ai Sugiyama and Shinobu Asagoe but there is a definite lack of high-profile male players.

Nick Bollettieri: There are some coming. Japan has three great players coming and we think one of them could be a top 10 player in the world.

Among the boys, we have Genki Tomita and Kei Nishikori and a great young female prospect in Fumiaki Kita.

Nishikori, who is 15, could be a sensation. He hits the ball hard, has an attacking style, is mentally strong and can do anything with the ball. Recently he had a practice session with Tommy Haas (top German pro) and Kei gave him such a run around that Tommy ended up getting pissed off.

The Japan Times: What have been the problems in Japanese tennis to date?

Nick Bolletieri: Well, the Japanese players have been very stoic. Take your girls -- basically they like that baseline. Even though they play pretty good doubles, they like that baseline. Unless you are an unbelievable baseliner with a huge serve, it is tough to win just from the baseline.

I also think their whole background has been one of conservatism. Not flamboyant, afraid to take gambles.

I also think that the coaching here is starting to improve. More depth in coaching.

Further, training Japanese players just in their own country is a little limiting. They need to test themselves against different styles of play to learn to adjust their games. They need more exposure.

The president of Sony, Masaoki Morita, is doing a lot to help the game here, by sponsoring kids.

The Japan Times: Why did you choose Tachibana Tennis Academy to hold this seminar?

Nick Bollettieri: First of all, I think that Hideki Ishii, the head coach out here, is an outstanding teaching pro and is very dedicated. Also, it is a great facility right in the hub of town and made it easy to give a seminar like this.

The Japan Times: Why are you focused on kids in Japan and what do you hope to achieve here? Could you tell us a bit about your vision?

Nick Bollettieri: I had a very interesting meeting with the Professor of the Nippon Sport Science University and president of the Japan Professional Tennis Association, Isao Watanabe. I believe that this meeting will be a major step forward in the coaching of tennis in Japan.

My coaching partner, Gabe Jaramillo, and I have two objectives: Get more people to play the game with one program; and then develop champions as a second program.

The Japan Times: So do you think we could have a Japanese Wimbledon champion in the future?

Nick Bollittieri: Within five years, we believe that one of the boys at the academy right now can be a top 10 player. Anytime you have a top 10 player, you have a chance of reaching another level.

I can't say whether you will have a Wimbledon champion, but I believe that within the next five years, Japan could have some players in the top 10 in the world. Once you do that, the whole ball game changes.

But you need a big winner. We got to have a winner.

The Japan Times: Like the Russian women . . . suddenly there one or two Russian champions and now they are coming out of the woodwork. Also 15 years ago, the Swedish men started to suddenly produce champions . . .

Nick Bollittieri: Exactly!

Like (Mats) Wilander and all the guys. But we have to have some big winners to excite. In order to have those winners, we need more depth in the coaching, more sponsorship, more flexibility and we have to have more of a system like our system in the academy.

There are no guarantees, but if you put all of these things together, you have a chance.

Japan is not lacking good athletes -- this was clear in the Olympic Games. The Japanese may not be big in stature but they are good athletes and therefore need to be taught not to have any weaknesses in their game.

They need to be taught how to play a total game -- bigger forehands, bigger serves -- you can't just play from the baseline.

Finally, I would like to say that following the meeting I had tonight, I am hoping that very soon, I can make a major impact with a Japanese player and help all the coaches in the country.

For information on the Tachibana Tennis Academy, contact: 045-580-3130 or Fax: 045-580-3160

The Japan Times: Nov. 12, 2004
 
#10 ·
I heard about Nishikori the other day also,

I think that possibly he could be Japan's leading male. I also heard of another Japanese junior, aged 15 like Nishikori called Kento. I forgot his last name.

I hope Japan can have a top male player in the game soon!
 
#11 ·
is any of mentioned players 'Kento Takeuchi'?
he is in d uso boys draw.
 
#19 ·
japanese ppl have really cool names, 'Go Soeda'!! :p
 
#22 ·
33) AIDA, Sho
48) NISHIKORI, Kei
71) UZAWA, Shuhei
73) TAKEUCHI, Kento

:D I hope we will see some of these players in the top 120 of the ATP rankings, I want a good Japanese ATP male to support :)
 
#23 ·
yeah, at d moment japan is really lacking top players in atp. their highest ranked player is outside top 200...i feel korea is also lacking good up n comers, after hyung taik lee their nxt highest ranked player is like in d 300s.
so hopfully d juniors can make a good transition to pro tour on atp.
 
#24 ·
yes,

I believe that Go Soeda has the talent to be top 100, look at how he pushed Puerta in Vietnam and a good match in Tokyo but although I have never seen him play, I think maybe he chokes a bit
 
#25 ·
find em in main draw in diff challengers for nxt week, good luck to these japanese players. :)

ZENTIVA CZECH INDOOR OPEN
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC


Suzuki, Takao JPN

OPEN DE LA VILLE DE SAINT DENIS SAINTE
CLOTILDE, REUNION ISLAND


Motomura, Gouichi JPN
Sugiyama, Norikazu JPN
 
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