Unleashing Freedom: Watanuki's Thrilling Ride To Top 100

Watch Yosuke Watanuki play and you will find a man who swings for the fences, crushing forehand winners at the first opportunity. He never holds back. The Japanese star competes with the same type of freedom that he feels when he enjoys a late-night drive back home.

Though he's often travelling on the ATP Tour, when Watanuki is savouring a late-night ride, it's as if tennis is a million miles away. Sometimes there's music, other times there's nothing but the still of the night.

“When I stay in Japan, I love to drive my car after midnight,” Watanuki told ATPTour.com. “Tennis can be so stressful, so much pressure. When I drive in that moment, it's like I feel nothing. It’s relaxing... Just drive, nothing special. A day off or feeling bad, if I'm not feeling well, then I go and drive for like two hours.”

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The 25-year-old, who is a three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, made those peaceful rides more thrilling by purchasing a sports car after his maiden Grand Slam main-draw victory at this year's Australian Open. His love for cars does not stop there.

If Watanuki were not a tennis player, he stated that he would work for a car manufacturer. But he has been building something of his own with a racquet in hand, cracking the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time Monday.

“Top 100 is a dream for sure," Watanuki said. "This time of year last season, I was 238 and then I was thinking, 'Maybe I can't crack the Top 100'. But now I've cracked the Top 100 and I'm so happy."

Watanuki's ferocious baseline play was on full display at this year's Miami Open presented by Itau, where he crushed 55 winners as he pushed 12th seed Frances Tiafoe to a three-set battle. That same tournament, American Christopher Eubanks was taking similar free cuts at the ball to reach the quarter-finals and rise into the Top 100.

Eubanks, 27, is also a three-time ATP Challenger Tour titlist and is now a Top 30 player after winning the Mallorca Championships and reaching the last eight at Wimbledon. Though Eubanks and Watanuki have their differences, they both produce exciting, swashbuckling tennis. 

Watanuki is just the latest example of players finding success at the Challenger level before having more opportunities to showcase their talent on the ATP Tour. He finished last season with back-to-back Challenger titles on home soil and has since earned wins at the Australian Open, in Miami, on the Madrid clay and at Wimbledon. Watanuki is in action at this week's Mubadala Citi DC Open, where he will face Chinese star Wu Yibing in the first round Monday.

^{Yosuke Watanuki claims his first Wimbledon main-draw victory. Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images}

Much like how Wu made his Top 100 debut this season, now it’s Watanuki’s turn. At No. 99 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, this milestone moment is the result of hard work and dedication for the former junior No. 2.

“I thought it could go a little faster. To be top two in the world in the juniors, I thought two or three years and I would be Top 100, but it took time," Watanuki said.

One important figure who has helped Watanuki ascend is his brother, Keisuke, who is also his coach.

“I think it works for me and makes us stronger. He cares about me so much," Yosuke told ATPTour.com in February. "Sometimes people think it's not good enough because he wasn't a top player before, but he can hit and he's good with the mental side of the game. I think that's really good for me. Sometimes we fight, like brothers!”

Yosuke’s oldest brother, Yusuke, has also travelled with him before but now coaches back home in Japan.

Watanuki is one of five Japanese players at this week’s ATP 500 event in Washington, alongside qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, Taro Daniel, 10th seed Yoshihito Nishioka and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori, who is playing his second ATP Tour tournament since coming back from injury.

Watanuki stated that he has enjoyed watching the 12-time tour-level titlist’s comeback that started last month at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Puerto Rico, where Nishikori was crowned champion. The two-time major finalist also reached the last eight of last week’s ATP 250 event in Atlanta.

“I've been waiting for him to come back, I think everyone was looking for him,” Watanuki said. “I grew up watching his matches. He played that first Challenger and won it, that was unbelievable. I'm so happy that he came back.”

The ATP Challenger Tour has been a key part of Watanuki's rise. Though he's played just five Challenger events in 2023, Watanuki developed his game at that level to make it where he is today. 

“The Challengers are so tough, there are so many good players there,” Watanuki said. “Even if they are ranked 300 or 400, they still have a chance to be Top 100.”

Second #ATPChallenger title in a row ????

???????? Yosuke Watanuki defeats Ferreira Silva 6-2, 6-2 to win the ???? in Yokkaichi! pic.twitter.com/IHgNdpbr8v

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 27, 2022