Rei Sakamoto
| Country (sports) | Japan |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 June 2006 Nagoya, Japan |
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Federico Ricci[1] |
| Prize money | US $231,000 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 0–3 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 159 (24 November 2025) |
| Current ranking | No. 187 (1 December 2025) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | Q1 (2025) |
| US Open | Q2 (2025) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 0–2 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 772 (5 May 2025) |
| Current ranking | No. 877 (17 November 2025) |
| Last updated on: 2 December 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. 159 achieved on 24 November 2025 and a doubles ranking of No. 772 achieved on 5 May 2025.[2] Sakamoto won the 2024 Junior singles Australian Open title.[1] He is currently the No. 6 singles player from Japan.[3]
Sakamoto reached an ITF junior combined ranking of world No. 1 on 27 May 2024.
Career
2024: Australian Junior champion, ATP qualifying & top 500 debuts
Sakamoto won the 2024 Australian Open boys' singles title after defeating Jan Kumstát in three sets.[4][5] Partnering Maxim Mrva, he also won the boys' doubles at the 2024 US Open, defeating Denis Peták and Flynn Thomas in the final.[6][1]
He received a wildcard for qualifying competition at the 2024 Miami Open but lost to Vít Kopřiva in the first round.[7]
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.[8][9][10]
2025: Major qualifying, Masters and top 175 debuts
Sakamoto received a wildcard for the qualifying competition at the 2025 Australian Open.[11] Sakamoto made his Masters main draw debut at the 2025 Miami Open after qualifying, but lost to Alexandre Müller.[12]
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.[13][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.[14][15]
Performance timeline
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Singles
| Tournament | 2024 | 2025 | SR | W–L | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slams | |||||
| Australian Open | A | Q1 | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| 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 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| ATP Masters 1000 | |||||
| Indian Wells Open | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Miami Open | Q1 | 1R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
| Monte Carlo Masters | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Madrid Open | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0-0 | – |
| Italian Open | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Canada Masters | 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 | 0 / 2 | 0–2 | 0% |
ATP Challenger Tour finals
Singles: 3 (3 titles)
|
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1–0 | Nov 2024 | Yokkaichi Challenger, Japan | Challenger | Hard | Christoph Negritu | 1–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 2–0 | Jun 2025 | Cary Tennis Classic, US | Challenger | Hard | Liam Draxl | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Win | 3–0 | Nov 2025 | Yokahoma Keio Challenger, Japan | Challenger | Hard | Kaichi Uchida | 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
ITF World Tennis Tour finals
Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
|
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1–0 | Feb 2024 | M15 Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt | WTT | Hard | Jan Hrazdil | Emile Hudd David Stevenson |
6–3, 6–7(8–10), [11–9] |
| Loss | 1–1 | May 2024 | M15 Cervia, Italy | WTT | Clay | Federico Bondioli | Gianluca Cadenasso Jacopo Bilardo |
walkover |
Junior Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (title)
| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 2024 | Australian Open | Hard | 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 | Federico Cinà | Nicolai Budkov Kjær Joel Schwärzler |
4–6, 6–7(3–7) |
| Win | 2024 | US Open | Hard | Maxim Mrva | Denis Peták Flynn Thomas |
7–5, 7–6(7–1) |
References
- ^ a b c d "Meet Rei Sakamoto: Inside the rise of the #NextGenATP samurai". ATP Tour. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ^ "Rei Sakamoto | Overview". ATP Tour.
- ^ "Japan | ATP Rankings (Singles)". ATP Tour.
- ^ "Sakamoto's warrior spirit on show to take junior boys' title". Australian Open. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Renata Jamrichova, Rei Sakamoto win Australian Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Rafael Jodar, Mika Stojsavljevic win US Open junior titles". ESPN. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ "Rei Sakamoto vs Vít Kopřiva". Tennis Majors. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic fashion". ATP Tour. 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: First Title For Lebanon, Dzumhur Triumphs For The 6th Time This Year". lastwordonsports.com. 3 December 2024.
- ^ "#NextGenATP Sakamoto surging with Nishikori's support". NextGenFinals. 5 February 2025.
- ^ "Cruz Hewitt among Australian Open qualifying wild cards". ATP Tour. 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Cina, 17, captures first tour-level win in Miami; Blockx, Sakamoto fall in ATP Masters 1000 debuts". ATP Tour. 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: Sakamoto Strikes Again". lastwordonsports.com. 7 July 2025.
- ^ @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 Twitter.
- ^ "Sakamoto, 19, secures Challenger title at home". ATPTour. 24 November 2025.