Rei Sakamoto

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Rei Sakamoto
Country (sports) Japan
Born (2006-06-24) 24 June 2006
Nagoya, Japan
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
CoachFederico Ricci[1]
Prize moneyUS $492,140
Singles
Career record1–6 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 148 (15 June 2026)
Current rankingNo. 148 (15 June 2026)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open1R (2026)
French OpenQ1 (2026)
WimbledonQ3 (2026)
US OpenQ2 (2025)
Doubles
Career record0–2 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 749 (13 April 2026)
Current rankingNo. 1,097 (22 June 2026)
Last updated on: 25 June 2026.

Rei Sakamoto (坂本怜, Sakamoto Rei; born 24 June 2006) is a Japanese professional tennis player.[1] He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 148 achieved on 15 June 2026 and a doubles ranking of No. 749 achieved on 13 April 2026.[2] He is currently the No. 3 singles player from Japan.[3]

Sakamoto has won three singles titles on ATP Challenger Tour. He represents Japan at the Davis Cup.

Junior tennis

Sakamoto had remarkable results on the ITF junior circuit, maintaining a 114–39 singles win-loss record. In March 2023, he earned the boys' doubles title at the Banana Bowl, a top junior-level event hosted in Criciúma, Brazil. Playing with Italian Federico Cinà as top-seeds, the pair defeated seventh seeds Daniil Sarksian and Yaroslav Demin in the final.

In January 2024, he won the J300 Traralgon International dropping only one set. He defeated second seed Nicolai Budkov Kjær in the final.[4]

Later that month, Sakamoto won his most prestigious title at junior-level – the boys' singles event at the Australian Open, defeating Czech Jan Kumstát in the final.[5][6]

He was also runner-up in the boys' doubles category at the 2024 French Open, with Federico Cinà. They lost to top seeds Nicolai Budkov Kjær and Joel Schwärzler in the final.[7]

Later that season, Sakamoto was crowned a champion in doubles at the 2024 US Open, with Czech Maxim Mrva. The pair defeated Denis Peták and Flynn Thomas in the final.[8][1]

He reached an ITF junior combined ranking of world No. 1 on 27 May 2024.[9]

Professional career

2024: First Challenger title

In March, Sakamoto received a wildcard for qualifying competition at the Miami Open, an ATP 1000-level event, but lost to Czech Vít Kopřiva in the first round.[10]

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.[11][12][13]

2025: Masters and top 175 debuts

Sakamoto received a wildcard for the qualifying competition at the 2025 Australian Open.[14]

Sakamoto made his Masters main draw debut at the 2025 Miami Open after qualifying, but lost to Alexandre Müller.[15]

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.[16][1] Sakamoto made history with winning his third title at home in Yokohama, becoming the first Japanese teenager to win three Challenger titles. As a result he reached the top 175 in the singles rankings at world No. 159 on 24 November 2025.[17][18]

2026: Major debut, First ATP and Masters win

Sakamoto made his Grand Slam debut at the 2026 Australian Open after qualifying for the main draw,[19] but lost to fellow qualifier Rafael Jódar in the first round.[20] Having received a wildcard for the 2026 Miami Open, Sakamoto recorded his first ATP and Masters win defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic.[21][22]

Performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RRQ# 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

Current through the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open.

Tournament202420252026SRW–LWin%
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A Q1 1R 0 / 1 0–1 0%
French Open A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Wimbledon A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
US Open A Q2 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–1 0 / 1 0–1 0%
ATP 1000 tournaments
Indian Wells Open A A Q1 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Miami Open Q1 1R 2R 0 / 2 1–2 33%
Monte-Carlo Masters A A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Madrid Open A A Q2 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Italian Open A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Canadian Open A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Cincinnati Open A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Shanghai Masters A 1R 0 / 1 0–1 0%
Paris Masters A A 0 / 0 0–0  – 
Win–loss 0–0 0–2 1–1 0 / 3 1–3 25%

ATP Challenger Tour finals

Singles: 3 (3 titles)

Legend
ATP Challenger Tour (3–0)
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
Win 3–0 Nov 2025 Yokohama Keio Challenger, Japan Challenger Hard Japan Kaichi Uchida 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4

ITF World Tennis Tour finals

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

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

Singles: 1 (title)

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)

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

  1. "Meet Rei Sakamoto: Inside the rise of the #NextGenATP samurai". ATP Tour. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  2. "Rei Sakamoto | Overview". ATP Tour.
  3. "Japan | ATP Rankings (Singles)". ATP Tour.
  4. "2024 Traralgon: Results".
  5. "Sakamoto's warrior spirit on show to take junior boys' title". Australian Open. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  6. "Renata Jamrichova, Rei Sakamoto win Australian Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  7. "Bigun streaks past Berkieta for Roland-Garros boys' title". Roland Garros. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. "Rafael Jodar, Mika Stojsavljevic win US Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  9. "Rei Sakamoto Junior Results".
  10. "Rei Sakamoto vs Vít Kopřiva". Tennis Majors. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  11. "Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic fashion". ATP Tour. 3 December 2024.
  12. "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: First Title For Lebanon, Dzumhur Triumphs For The 6th Time This Year". lastwordonsports.com. 3 December 2024.
  13. "#NextGenATP Sakamoto surging with Nishikori's support". NextGenFinals. 5 February 2025.
  14. "Cruz Hewitt among Australian Open qualifying wild cards". ATP Tour. 19 December 2024.
  15. "Cina, 17, captures first tour-level win in Miami; Blockx, Sakamoto fall in ATP Masters 1000 debuts". ATP Tour. 20 March 2025.
  16. "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: Sakamoto Strikes Again". lastwordonsports.com. 7 July 2025.
  17. @ATPChallenger (November 23, 2025). "Rei Sakamoto makes history for Japan 🇯🇵 The 19-year-old becomes the first Japanese teenager ever to win three Challenger titles!#ATPChallenger" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  18. "Sakamoto, 19, secures Challenger title at home". ATPTour. 24 November 2025.
  19. "Who qualified for the 2026 Australian Open?". ATPTour. 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  20. "The rise of Rafael Jodar: 'He's the most mature 19-year-old you're going to meet'". atptour.com. 21 Jan 2026. Retrieved 21 Jan 2026.
  21. "Sakamoto, 19, joins Djokovic, Murray & more with milestone win". 20 March 2026.
  22. "Japan's Sakamoto claims maiden ATP win as teenage talent shines in Miami". Reuters. 20 March 2026.