‘Going Up Together’, Watanuki Rises With Brother By His Side

Yosuke Watanuki has enjoyed a strong start to the year following a career-best season on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Japanese player is doing it all with his brother by his side.

The 24-year-old, who is competing at this week’s Monterrey Challenger, is coached by his brother Keisuke, who is roughly five years older. Yosuke, World No. 130 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, claims they are a dynamic duo.

“I think it works for me and makes us stronger,” Watanuki said. “He cares about me so much. Sometimes people think it’s not good enough because he wasn’t a top player before, he’s young, or because he hasn’t coached a Top-50 player. But we are going up together, it’s good for us. 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 do!”

Watanuki has consistently kept his coach’s corner within the family. Before Keisuke came on board, the eldest of the three brothers, Yusuke, was his full-time coach until about three years ago.

After a strong finish to 2022, Watanuki isn’t selling himself short for what he can achieve this year. The former junior World No. 2 has his eyes set on climbing into the Top 100 and beyond to have a shot at fulfilling a childhood dream.

“My goal for this year is Top 80,” Watanuki said. “Because next year is the [Paris] Olympics, I really want to play there. It’s my dream. And Top 80 will give me a chance to play the Olympic games next year.”

Watanuki’s late-season surge in 2022 wasn’t without challenges. Three games into his first-round match at the ATP 250 in Seoul, the Japanese star rolled his ankle and was forced to retire against Jaume Munar. Watanuki then forfeited his wild card at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo, which would’ve been his first tour-level event on home soil since 2018, when he advanced through qualifying en route to his maiden tour-level main-draw victory (d. Haase).

Yosuke Watanuki in action at the 2023 Canberra Challenger. Credit: Anastasia Kachalkova

After recovering from the ankle injury, Watanuki went on a hot streak. He won 14 of 15 Challenger-level matches to close the season, including back-to-back titles at the Kobe and Yokkaichi Challengers. The first week of the Asian Challenger swing, Watanuki was a finalist in Yokohama, Japan, before winning 10 consecutive matches.

“I was playing well those three weeks,” Watanuki said. “I was coming back from injury, I hadn’t played that well the first half of the year, and my ranking had dropped. But I tried to play my best and I was surprised to be in the Yokohama final. Then I went to Kobe, lovely place, I won my first Challenger title there (2019). The first week, Yokohama, I was so happy. The second one I was more surprised [to be in another final].”

This year, Watanuki was a semi-finalist at the season-opening Canberra Challenger, where he lost to eventual champion Marton Fucsovics. Watanuki built upon his momentum to qualify for his maiden Grand Slam at the 2023 Australian Open.

“When I got into the main draw, I was so happy because I tried to qualify for a Grand Slam seven times before,” Watanuki said. “I had made the final round of qualifying two times and lost both. I was a little bit nervous this time because I wanted to make a Grand Slam this year for sure. When I won the final round of qualifying, I was so happy. The first match, I was so excited to play.”

Watanuki earned a straight-sets victory over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the opening round before falling to eventual quarter-finalist Sebastian Korda.

Yosuke Watanuki made his Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at the 2023 Australian Open. Credit: Martin Keep/Getty Images

The Saitama native is the third highest-ranked Japanese male, only behind Yoshihito Nishioka and Taro Daniel. Watanuki draws inspiration from former World No. 4 and countryman Kei Nishikori, who was a finalist at the 2014 US Open and earned the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic games.

Watanuki shared that he admires what Nishikori has accomplished and how he’s carried the torch for Japanese tennis the past decade. Nishikori, who has been plagued with injuries, has not competed since October 2021. The 12-time tour titlist has even offered advice to Watanuki.

“Kei made history,” Watanuki said. “A Japanese guy to be World No. 4, that’s good for [other Japanese players] because we think, ‘We can be there because another Japanese player is there!’ Also, Naomi [Osaka] winning four Grand Slams. They give me so much power like, ‘I can be there!’

“Also, Kei told me some things technically and mentally. It’s not easy to get advice from a Top-4 player, but that is so good for me.”

Life on the Challenger Tour isn’t easy. With constant traveling and pressure mounting as players aim for their professional breakthrough, Watanuki has a unique escape from tennis.

“When I stay in Japan, I love to drive my car after midnight, late-night drives!” Watanuki said. “Tennis can be so stressful, so much pressure. When I drive in that moment, it’s like I feel nothing. It’s relaxing.”