Date of birth: September 27, 1995

Place of birth: Mie, Japan

Nationality: Japanese

Plays: Left-handed 

Height: 5ft 7in (170cm)

ATP Tour titles: 2

Career-high ranking: 24

Best Grand Slam performance: Round of 16 (2023 Australian Open and 2023 Roland-Garros)

Style and personality: 

If David Ferrer was born in Japan instead of Spain, the result would be something pretty close to Yoshihito Nishioka. Known for his endurance, tenacity and fitness, Nishioka can run all day to wear his opponents into the ground. His physical baseline style will put opponents to the test in the fast-paced UTS format, while his personality is just as lovable as Ferrer’s as well.

Career:

As one of the shortest players on the ATP Tour, Nishioka has consistently punched above his weight to reach an impressive career high of 24 in the world. The Japanese-native has been professional since 2014, but only really found his footing in 2018 when he cracked the world’s top 100 and won his first title in Shenzhen. Since then he’s pushed further and is now a regular in the top 50, with several impressive Grand Slam runs to date in 2023.

Watch this space, Nishioka is making his debut in Seoul!