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Rei Sakamoto

Rei Sakamoto
Country (sports) Japan
Born (2006-06-24) 24 June 2006 (age 19)
Nagoya, Japan
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS $143,372
Singles
Career record0–1 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 197 (25 August 2025)
Current rankingNo. 197 (25 August 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenQ1 (2025)
US OpenQ2 (2025)
Doubles
Career record0–2 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 772 (5 May 2025)
Current rankingNo. 855 (28 July 2025)
Last updated on: 15 August 2025.

Rei Sakamoto (坂本怜, Sakamoto Rei; born 24 June 2006) is a Japanese professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 197, achieved on 25 August 2025 and a doubles ranking of No. 772, achieved on 5 May 2025.[1]

Career

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2024: Australian Junior champion, ATP qualifying & top 500 debuts

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Sakamoto won the 2024 Australian Open boys' singles title after defeating Jan Kumstát in three sets.[2][3] Partnering Maxim Mrva, he also won the boys' doubles at the 2024 US Open, defeating Denis Peták and Flynn Thomas in the final.[4]

He received a wildcard for qualifying competition at the 2024 Miami Open but lost to Vít Kopřiva in the first round.[5]

At the age of 18 and five months, Sakamoto won his first title at the 2024 Yokkaichi Challenger becoming the second youngest Japanese titlist after Kei Nishikori to lift an ATP Challenger trophy in history. As a result he reached the top 500 in the rankings on 2 December 2024.[6][7]

2025: Major qualifying, Masters and top 200 debuts

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Sakamoto received a wildcard for the qualifying competition at the 2025 Australian Open.[8] Sakamoto made his Masters main draw debut at the 2025 Miami Open as a qualifier but lost to Alexandre Müller.[9]

He won his second Challenger title at 2025 Cary Tennis Classic and reached new career-high ranking of world No. 206 on 14 July 2025, rising 85 positions up in the singles rankings.[10]

Performance timeline

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Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

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Tournament 2025 SR W–L Win%
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open Q1 0 / 0 0–0  – 
French Open A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Wimbledon A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
US Open Q2 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Win–loss 0–0 0 / 0 0–0  – 

ATP Challenger Tour finals

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Singles: 2 (2 titles)

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Legend
ATP Challenger Tour (2–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Nov 2024 Yokkaichi Challenger, Japan Challenger Hard Germany Christoph Negritu 1–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win 2–0 Jun 2025 Cary Tennis Classic, US Challenger Hard Canada Liam Draxl 6–1, 6–4

ITF World Tennis Tour finals

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Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

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Legend
ITF WTT (1–1)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Feb 2024 M15 Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt WTT Hard Czech Republic Jan Hrazdil United Kingdom Emile Hudd
United Kingdom David Stevenson 		6–3, 6–7(8–10), [11–9]
Loss 1–1 May 2024 M15 Cervia, Italy WTT Clay Italy Federico Bondioli Italy Gianluca Cadenasso
Italy Jacopo Bilardo 		walkover

Junior Grand Slam finals

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Singles: 1 (title)

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Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 2024 Australian Open Hard Czech Republic Jan Kumstát 3–6, 7–6(7–2), 7–5

Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

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Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 2024 French Open Clay Italy Federico Cinà Norway Nicolai Budkov Kjær
Austria Joel Schwärzler 		4–6, 6–7(3–7)
Win 2024 US Open Hard Czech Republic Maxim Mrva Czech Republic Denis Peták
Switzerland Flynn Thomas 		7–5, 7–6(7–1)

References

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  1. ^ "Rei Sakamoto | Overview | ATP Tour | Tennis". ATP Tour.
  2. ^ "Sakamoto's warrior spirit on show to take junior boys' title". Australian Open. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Renata Jamrichova, Rei Sakamoto win Australian Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Rafael Jodar, Mika Stojsavljevic win US Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Rei Sakamoto vs Vít Kopřiva". Tennis Majors. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic fashion". ATPTour. 3 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: First Title For Lebanon, Dzumhur Triumphs For The 6th Time This Year". 3 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Cruz Hewitt among Australian Open qualifying wild cards". 19 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Cina, 17, captures first tour-level win in Miami; Blockx, Sakamoto fall in ATP Masters 1000 debuts". 20 March 2025.
  10. ^ "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: Sakamoto Strikes Again". lastwordonsports.com. 7 July 2025.
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