The French Tennis Federation (FFT) proudly announces details for the Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault in Japan, featuring Kei Nishikori as the Tournament Ambassador.
The Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault is scheduled to be held at the Dai-Ichi Life Sogoen Tennis Court in Tokyo from October 16 to 20, 2024. The tournament will feature the top 32 junior players (16 girls and 16 boys) from across Asia, representing 9 different Asian nationalities, all under the age of 17 at the timing of Roland-Garros Junior. The competition will take place on the red clay courts.
The involvement of Tournament Ambassador Kei Nishikori aims to inspire young Asian tennis players and foster their development. Nishikori expressed his enthusiasm: “I am excited to be part of this project and help promote tennis in Asia. I want to thank Roland-Garros and FFT for coming to Japan and helping support the future of Asian tennis. I’m looking forward to a couple of fun days.”
For the first time, FFT has teamed up with the well-known manga artist Kasa to create the official poster for the Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault in Japan. Kasa, known for his popular tennis manga “Break Back,” which has been in publication since 2018, has lent his expertise to further enhance the Asian theme of the tournament.
Fusion of art and sport
Pullman Tokyo Tamachi Hotel will be the stage of the opening ceremony, which will feature Kei Nishikori and special guest Shuzo Matsuoka, highlighting the fusion of art and sport and celebrating tennis and Japanese culture. Shuzo Matsuoka, a retired Japanese professional tennis player who is a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist with a career-high ranking of world No. 46. Currently active as a sports commentator and also a popular entertainer, will undoubtedly enlighten the ceremony atmosphere with an exciting discussion with current top tennis player Kei Nishikori.
The event is organised in collaboration with the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) and Japan Tennis Association (JTA), with support from global sponsors Renault, BNP Paribas, Accor, and Wilson. Stéphane Barbat, Partnerships & Brand Image Director, Renault Global, added: “After Latin America, Renault is helping FFT to develop tennis in Asia. With Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault in Japan, we are delighted to lend our support to young Asian talents.“
Aymeric Labaste, Tournament Director, remarked, ”After the huge success in LATAM, it’s fantastic to be now able to extend Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault to Asia. We’re fully committed to not only bringing the best of Roland-Garros in Tokyo with a Japanese touch but also providing all Junior players with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our Ambassador, Kei Nishikori, has always performed well in Roland-Garros, and all juniors will benefit from his valuable experience and clay knowledge for improvement. This helps Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault to be the main tennis Junior event.“
Objective: the development of young Asian tennis players
The qualifying tournaments organised by ATF which cover the whole Asian area were held in Kazakhstan from August 5-9, 2024, and in China from August 12-17, 2024. The winners and runners-up from these 2 qualifications will attend Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault in Tokyo, further expanding the series’ reach and impact.
The semifinals and finals will be broadcast on WOWOW, leveraging over 30 years of experience as Roland-Garros’ official broadcaster. Additionally, the Star Tennis Academy YouTube channel will provide live coverage, reaching a broader audience of tennis fans during the weekend.
Also, Kimiko Date, a former tennis player who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 and was a Roland-Garros Semi-Finalist in 1995, among many other great successes in her tennis career, will attend the event on October 20 as a presenter of the winning trophies during the award ceremony.
Tsuchihashi Toshihisa, the Senior Executive Director of the Japan Tennis Association, also voiced his excitement, stating :
“I believe that hosting a Roland-Garros Junior event in Japan is quite meaningful for the development and high performance of junior players not only in Japan but in Asia. The tournament venue, Dai-Ichi Life Sogoen Tennis Court, has outdoor red clay courts, and I look forward to the players showing growth and improvement through the experience of playing on red clay courts.”
Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault aims to support the next generation of talented tennis players globally. The new competition platform will create new opportunities and promote tennis’s growth in these regions. Also, the red clay court was specifically chosen as the platform surface for this competition to further enhance the development of young Asian tennis players and improve their presence in the world of professional tennis.
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