TOKYO - Similarly to the Yonex Girls’ Tennis Party in Osaka before the Toray Pan Pacific Open, local juniors from the Kantō region of Japan gathered in Tokyo with Hubert Hurkacz (POL), Radu Albot (MDA), and Japanese stars Shingo Kunieda, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Go Soeda.
With a waterfront view of the Tokyo Bay, the players took turns addressing the crowd and inspiring the next generation of players. After some ‘selfies’ with the attendees, the professionals and juniors competed in a skills challenge, where Albot’s team ended up winning autographed balls.
The evening concluded with breakout sessions, as each athlete presented their best piece of advice to the juniors and posed for photos.
“Keep working hard and enjoy yourself” was Hurkacz’s message, while Albot reminded the juniors to “always practice hard, listen to your coach, go to sleep early, and never give up!”
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) and Hyeon Chung (KOR) joined Hurkacz, Albot, Nishioka, and Soeda in the singles main draw at Ariake Coliseum, home of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
