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Shuzo Matsuoka : The Last Samurai


“Why don’t you try? “ At this very moment, Bob Brett, world-renowned tennis coach, may not realize it but his words have just awakened Asian tennis.

Facing him stands 17-year-old Shuzo Matsuoka, ready to convince his parents to let him leave his native island to go conquer the world.


He's not the most talented, he's not the most muscular, and nobody really predicts a great future for him, but who cares? The young Japanese has his eyes set on his goal : reaching the world's top 100.

 

Having become a true Japanese idol in the wake of his career, Shuzo Matsuoka is now renowned for his TV appearances and "Motivational videos" in which he commands you to never give up on your dreams.

You've probably seen him on your Instagram or Facebook feed, but do you actually know his story?

Flashback on the career of a soldier who may not have had the best weapons, but surely the strongest will.


Matsuoka most famous "motivational video", credit : Ryuujin131


While a successful professional career would certainly have been within his grasp, fate had other plans and his choice was made: 18-year-old Matsuoka settled in Florida.

Far from his comfort zone and local tournaments, the teenager is now exposed to the eyes of a much more competitive and demanding international circuit.


1988, nowhere near the media spotlight focused on Matt Wilander's grand slam success and André Agassi's rise to power, Matsuoka is quietly touching his dream with his fingertips : thanks to relentless effort, he has now broken into the top 100.


« I didn’t know how to find a new step »


What's next? Where to go from here? Which goal to redefine? With no real vision for his career, Matsuoka is struggling to make any progress and will gradually fall back down the ATP rankings, once again without making any noise.

The story should have ended there, Matsuoka changed the script.

Metamorphosed and filled with an unshakeable self-confidence, the young Japanese made his comeback, or rather his true entry among the very best in 1992, even going so far as to offer his country its first title on the ATP circuit.


Bob Brett can smile : in front of his eyes, the young child he first encountered in Japan has become a formidable athlete capable of giving the great Sampras a run for his money on Wimbledon's center court in front of a breathless audience.

That year, Matsuoka not only earns himself a place among the elite, but first and foremost exposes Japan to the world, allowing Asia to finally take part in the great tennis festival.



Matsuoka's game : Mental strength above all


To this day, Matsuoka remains a very special case, the story of a player who managed to compensate his lack of talent through intelligence and abnegation.

Let's be honest, there was nothing particularly special about his game. Regularly suffering from cramp, his body could barely last the duration of a 5-set match, yet the Japanese player left his mark on the ATP circuit.

Despite everything, Matsuoka knew that by using his head, he would be able to overcome his weaknesses and compete on an equal footing with the world's tennis elite.


Matsuoka cramping at the 1995 Us Open, credit New York Times


«Everyone was telling me that you don’t have any talent but I knew I could find weakness in the opponent mind or games»


Coming from a collectivist culture that doesn't really encourage the expression of emotions, Shuzo first had to learn to understand himself, give free rein to his thoughts and, above all, express himself in his own way on the tennis court.

The Japanese player's work didn't stop there and Matsuoka also hired a mental coach to help him develop one of the key skills in tennis: making individually the right choice at the right time.

 

After years of building up his mind, the young man who was once terrified of taking on Jimmy Connors became one of the most respected player in the world for his character and strength of mind.

His career lasted 12 long years, culminating in a ranking of 46th in the world and an ATP title, but Matsuoka proved one thing above all : driven by an iron will, even an ordinary man can move mountains.

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