The necks of the Japanese tennis players at the FISU World University Games are weighed down, as they’ve picked up five of the possible seven gold medals in the sport, headlined by Jay Friend’s win in the men’s singles on Saturday, 26 July, the final day of competition at ETUF Tennisanalage in Essen.

All seven Japanese players who competed at Rhine-Ruhr 2025 will return home as champions. In a widely known individual sport, they’ve found teamwork as the gateway to success.

Friend’s 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 triumph over Great Britain’s Toby Samuel took resilience, belief and sheer determination in temperatures hovering around 26 °C, especially when the Brit had match point opportunities, up five games to three in the final set.

“I dug deep, that’s what I do best, and even though it got a little tight at the end, I was able to get through it,” the 21-year-old winner said.

Friend, who studies social sciences and plays tennis at the University of Arizona in the United States, has a Japanese mother and a father from New Zealand, and played the Davis Cup for the latter when he was younger. He said the FISU Games were his first time representing Japan, and he feels at home.

Huge support throughout the week

“They (his teammates) were so loud throughout the entire match. It was a long, long match and to have their support throughout the week, man, it’s meant everything to me.”

The support he receives isn’t one-directional. In fact, the triple-gold medallist – he was also crowned in the mixed doubles and men’s team events – said the Japanese team has built a culture at the Games, which is a big contributor to them taking five titles. The country added gold in the women’s doubles and women’s team tournaments.

“We do everything together, we’re always together. If someone has an early game and needs to be at the court at 7:45 a.m., we all go.”

Outlining the mentality, he said, “the whole team came here for my final, they didn’t have to, but they did. They helped me warm up, they were so loud on the side line the whole match and I am just so grateful to be a part of it.”

As it stands on the evening of Saturday, 26 July – the extra gold medals won on the tennis court have given Japan a total of 31, which is the most across the FISU Games and three above the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America.

Slovakia’s Eszter Méri shines

In other action on centre court at Essen on Saturday, Slovakia’s Eszter Méri took the women’s singles gold against neutral athlete Alevtina Ibragimova, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, which was her nation’s first victory of Rhine-Ruhr 2025 and the best result of a Slovakian tennis player at any FISU Games. After a delay in the first set due to her opponent picking up a small injury, Méri struggled in the second before showing her class in the final few games of the third to wrap up the gold.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Coby Moratti, FISU Young Reporter, New Zealand

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

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