Koji Watanabe
Japanese tennis player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Koji Watanabe (渡邊康二, Watanabe Kōji, born 19 January 1942) is a Japanese former international tennis player. He won four career singles titles (1966–1969).
| Country (sports) |  Japan |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 January 1942 Ashiya, Hyogo, Japan |
| Turned pro | 1961 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1971 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 165-21 (88.7%) [1] |
| Career titles | 4 [1] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1965), (1969) |
| French Open | 2R (1964), (1966) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1969) |
| Team competitions | |
Watanabe played his first tournament at the Miami Invitational in 1961.[2] He won his first title on clay at Gruneweld, West Germany in August 1966 beating compatriot Ichizo Konishi in three sets.[2] In 1966 he claimed his second title again on clay at Ostend, Belgium defeating South African player Jackie Saul two sets to one.[2] His third title came in 1968 at the Lowther Hard Court Championships, Barnes, London where he beat New Zealand player Onny Parun two sets to one.[2] His fourth and final tile came in 1969 at the Athens International on clay where he defeated Australian player Geoff Masters three sets to one.[2] He reached the finals of three other tournaments Andhra Pradesh Championships on hard courts in (1966), the Worcestershire Championships, on grass in (1967) and finally Bad Neuenahar on clay in (1969).[2]
In Grand Slam tournaments he competed in the Australian Open two times, in 1965 and 1969.,[3][4] The French Open in 1964 and 1966 and at Wimbledon one time in 1969. He also served as coach for Japan's Davis Cup team (1971–1974) and as vice-chairman of the Japan Tennis Association.[4]
He played his last tournament at the Tokyo Indoor in 1971 losing to Ian Fletcher in the semifinals.[2]
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