Rei Sakamoto could become a household name on the ATP Tour very soon.
The Japanese star, who won the 2024 Australian Open Boys Singles title, won his third ATP Challenger title on Monday.
Sakamoto, 19, won his first Challenger event at the 2024 Yokkaichi Challenger, becoming the youngest Japanese Challenger champion after Kei Nishikori.
He has gone from strength to strength since then, winning his second Challenger title at the 2025 Cary Tennis Classic.
On Monday, the Japanese prodigy made more history.
Rei Sakamoto becomes the first Japanese teenager to win three ATP Challenger titles
On Monday, former junior world number one Rei Sakamoto defeated compatriot Kaichi Uchida 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 to win the Yokohama Keio Challenger.
By doing so, Sakamoto has become the first Japanese teenager to win three ATP Challenger titles.
Sakamoto, who made his ATP Masters 1000 debut at the Miami Open earlier this year, defeated Kasidit Samrej and Maxim Zhukov in the first two rounds in Japan.
In the quarter-finals, he knocked out compatriot and seventh seed Yasutaka Uchiyama, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Sakamoto, seeded second, defeated Akira Santillan 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the semi-finals before beating Uchida at the final hurdle.
Sakamoto reacts to his triumph in Yokohama
In an Instagram post, Sakamoto noted his delight at winning a Challenger event in his home nation.
The Japanese star said: “Won a Challenger title in my home country to finish 2025!”
“I had lots of ups and downs this year but fought hard at the end. Appreciate all the support from everyone around me.
Give us your most ICONIC tennis quotes!
“Can’t wait for [the] off-season, and what 2026 will bring to us!”
Sakamoto has not qualified for the end-of-season Next Gen Finals, which are scheduled to take place in December at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
