WATCH: World No 215 Shintaro Mochizuki breaks down in front of home crowd as he records maiden career Tour win after defeating Tomas Etcheverry
A video captured the young Japanese hiding his face in his towel and crying.
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Shintaro Mochizuki (Credit: Tennis)
Japanese player Shintaro Mochizuki secured his first-ever win on a tour at the 2023 Japan Open. After defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 7-6 (5), the tennis player got overwhelmed with emotions. A video captured the young Japanese hiding his face in his towel and crying.
The 215th-ranked player in the world managed to win over his Argentine opponent in straight sets. The match was being held at Ariake Tennis Forest Park, which had an enthusiastic set of crowd supporting their native.
The first set was rather easy for him. Displaying his tenacity and determination he went ahead to get a lead in the first set over his opponent. The result was in his favor, with him scoring a swift 6-4.
But Etcheverry was not in the mood to back down. The second and final set proved to be a true nail bitter. Both players displayed exceptional shots and a commendable strategy to take the other one down. Although Etchverry gave a very tough competition, the Japanese persevered and won the set in 7(7)- 6(5).
Mochizuki will face American sensation Taylor Fritz in the next round.
An exceptional season for Shintaro Mochizuki
The season for Mochizuki started off on good terms, as he won his first professional title at the Open Città della Disfida Challenger in Barletta, Italy. He navigated the tournament with poise, eventually defeating Argentine Santiago Rodriguez Taverna in straight sets.
Mochizuki’s rise continued after his triumph in Barletta. He reached a career-high world ranking of No. 198 on June 12, 2023. Breaking into the top 200 was a big achievement for him.
His incredible season continued as he received a wildcard entrance into the Japan Open. The local fans watched history as Mochizuki won his first ATP Tour-level match by defeating Tomás Martn Etcheverry in straight sets.
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Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)