Japan Open - Betting Odds, History and Records

Tournament Details:

Date: 2024.09.25 - TBA
Location: Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan
Sport: Tennis
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Total Prize Money: $2.178 Million


The Japan Open Tennis tournament holds the distinction of being the oldest tennis tournament in Asia. It was founded in the year 1973. The Australian Tennis Player Ken Rosewall won the inaugural edition and defeated his fellow countryman John Newcombe in the final of the 1973 Japan Open Tennis Tournament. The following year, the same two players made it to the final. However, on this occasion, Lady Luck was kinder and more generous to Newcombe, who avenged his previous year's defeat. Since then, the event has been played annually as the only Japanese stop on the ATP tour.

The first women's event was held in 1979, but it was discontinued in 2008 as a separate Women's professional Tennis tournament, Pan Pacific Open, was started.


2023 Winner: Ben Shelton

At the beginning of the 2022 season, Ben Shelton from the United States was positioned at 573 in global rankings. Fast forward to less than two years later, and the 21-year-old is stepping into the top 15 for the first time, following his victory in his first ATP singles event.

In the concluding match of the competition, he outplayed Russian player Aslan Karatsev with scores of 7-5, 6-1. Ben Shelton was +1100 to win going into the event.


2023 Betting Odds:

There wasn't a clear favourite leading up to the event. Last year's winner, Taylor Fritz was among the players expected to go far.

Source: Bet365
Time Stamp: October 16th, 2023 6:53 pm EST
Odds Subject to Change

Tommy Paul +650
Taylor Fritz +650
Felix Auger Aliassime +750
Casper Ruud +800
Hubert Hurkacz +800
Frances Tiafoe +1000
Ben Shelton +1100
Karen Khachanov +1100
...


Naming and Location:

Currently, the tournament is named the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships (Kinoshita Group is the current title sponsor of the event). Between 1973 and 1989, there was no ATP tour, and the tournament was part of the Grand Prix Tennis, named the Tokyo Outdoor Grand Prix.

The tournament is played at Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo. Pan Pacific Open is also played at the same venue.


Category and Courts:

The tournament's current status puts it in the ATP 500 Series Category, and the tournament is played on Hard/ Outdoor courts. Since its inception, it has been played on these courts with transitions in between. Between 1978 and 1981, it switched to Clay Courts, but the tournament soon reverted to the Hard/Outdoor courts. Similarly, the 2018 edition of the tournament was played on Hard/Indoor courts.


Records and Champions:

The record for most men's titles won by a single player is held by the Swedish tennis star Stefan Edberg, who won the 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1991 editions of the tournament. Other than him, the American Legend Pete Sampras also won the Japan Open three times.

Another historic occasion in the history of the tournament was when Andy Murray combined with his brother Jamie Murray to win the title in the Men's doubles category. He also won the single's title after beating Rafael Nadal in the final.

In the women's singles category, Kimiko Date has been most successful with four titles. She played five consecutive Japan Open Finals while winning four out of those. Other than her, Maria Sharapova, Amy Frazier, and Ai Sugiyama have won two titles each.


The Big 3 - or The Big 4!

All the big names in the tennis world have come to Tokyo to compete in the Japan Open. The current Big 3, or Big 4 if we count Andy Murray, have all lifted the trophy at the Rakuten Open. Roger Federer won the title in 2005, while Nadal got his hands on the trophy in 2010. Novak Djokovic won the title in 2019.


Rakuten Open 2024:

The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis tournament will start on September 25th, 2024.

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