Who is Wakana Sonobe, the great rising sun of world tennis

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The emergence of new stars is one of the best possible pieces of news in the tennis world, and Wakana Sonobe is aiming to be a truly remarkable one. This 17-year-old Japanese player has won all nine matches played in 2025, including her title at the junior Australian Open. Her transition to professionalism is meteoric, and her game is astonishing in Abu Dhabi, where she has achieved her first major victory.

There is still room for growth in tennis in Japan. The successful sporting careers of Nishikori and Osaka have captivated millions of people eager to enjoy new role models and engage in an increasingly popular sport there. Wakana Sonobe has been aiming very high for years, establishing herself as a prominent tennis player when she was just a child. So much so that she received a scholarship to train at the IMG Academy in Florida, where she met and trained with Nishikori, her great role model, as she mentions on wtatennis.com.

- Sonobe is undefeated so far this year, and her coach sees top-10 potential in her.

Left-handed, skillful, with spectacular acceleration and very good leg mobility, she is capable of finding a good balance between aggression and consistency, still having plenty of room for improvement in all aspects of the game. Debuting with a victory in the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi 2025 unexpectedly boosts a career that promises strong emotions. "I still can't believe it. I am surprised by my level in recent weeks; it's great to see that I can challenge players with important rankings," says a young woman who started playing tennis at the age of 4, hooked on this sport by watching her brother train.

"I feel I can play very well from the baseline. I am increasingly controlling my nerves and capable of being aggressive and displaying my best level in critical moments," says a woman whom her coach, Ryuji Hirooka, sees with great potential. "I believe she will reach the top 10. She is a very disciplined girl, always listens to me attentively, and fulfills what I ask of her. She has a spectacular competitive ability; I see in her the heart of a champion," warns the coach of Wakana Sonobe who will continue competing in the junior Grand Slam tournaments but aims to gradually enter the WTA circuit. If she continues like this, her leap will be sudden and triumphant.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Quién es Wakana Sonobe, el gran sol naciente del tenis mundial