Shingo Kunieda, who announced his retirement from wheelchair tennis while still ranked number one in the world, was wearing a Rado watch!

Celebrity Watch Hunting is a series of columns that takes a snapshot of what kind of watches the world's celebrities are wearing. This time, we will be looking at the Rado watch worn by Shingo Kunieda, a former world number one wheelchair tennis player who has made a major contribution to the tennis world.

Shingo Kunieda holds the record for most Grand Slam wheelchair titles won by a man in history.

　Shingo Kunieda, who announced his retirement on January 22, 2023, while still ranked number one in the world, holds the record for the most Grand Slam wheelchair titles of all time, with 28 singles titles and 22 doubles titles, for a total of 50. He has also been ranked number one in the world at the end of the year 10 times, achieving a career Golden Slam.

　The Career Golden Slam refers to winning all four Grand Slam tournaments plus either the Olympic or Paralympic Games during one's career, and like the annual Grand Slam, it is extremely difficult to achieve. This is because the Olympics and Paralympics are held only once every four years, greatly reducing the chances of achieving this. Shingo Kunieda achieved the first-ever annual Grand Slam in men's singles wheelchair tennis in 2007, and at the 2021 Paralympics held in Tokyo as captain of the Japanese team, he won his third gold medal in singles.

　Just before deciding to retire, she won the Australian Open in 2022, her 11th title, and also won Wimbledon. In recognition of her impressive record and achievements, it has been decided that she will receive the People's Honour Award in March 2023, making her the first para-athlete and tennis player to receive the award.

Shingo Kunieda wearing the Rado Hyperchrome Court Collection

　Shingo Kunieda was photographed at the US Open on September 6, 2014, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing section of Queens, New York City. He was wearing a Rado Hyperchrome Court Collection watch. It's a green model reminiscent of the grass courts at Wimbledon. Shingo Kunieda is a Rado lover in Japan, helping to spread the appeal of Rado.

　Rado has been the official timekeeper of tennis tournaments around the world since 2012. Since 2016, it has supported Swiss tennis as a partner of the Swiss Tennis Association, sponsoring the Rado Interclub Championships, Switzerland's largest tennis tournament, which attracts over 3 players each year, and is also the presenting partner of the Swiss Tennis International Tour, which includes all of the International Tennis Federation's professional tournaments held in Switzerland. Rado, which is making an important contribution to the development of tennis, has partnered with Shingo Kunieda as a Rado Friend.

　Rado's motto is "If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can make it, do it." This was used when the "Green Horse" was released in 1957. Rado's attitude of not only being satisfied with what has already been successful, but also creating new things with originality and foresight is still maintained today in the 21st century.

　Meanwhile, Shingo Kunieda's approach to tennis also shares some similarities with Rado's. Born in 1984, Shingo Kunieda became wheelchair-bound at the age of nine due to paralysis of the lower body caused by a spinal tumor. Having always loved physical activity, he tried to find a basketball team but was unable to find one, so at his mother's suggestion, he began wheelchair tennis. He reportedly showed incredible talent immediately after getting into a tennis wheelchair. This chairwork would later become a distinctive feature of his playing style, overwhelming other players. While wheelchair tennis rules allow for up to two bounces, Shingo Kunieda hits the ball almost every time within one bounce.

　Until around 2006, he was ranked around 10th in the world, but after receiving advice from a mental trainer he met at the Australian Open, he strengthened his mentality by telling himself every day, "I'm the best!", and just 10 months later he was ranked No. 1 in the world. Taking action to realize your best self and acting with faith in your own potential is something that resonates with Rado's spirit.

Rado's Hyperchrome series, introduced in 2012

　As mentioned above, Rado announced the Hyperchrome Court Collection in 2013, a year after restarting its challenge as the official timekeeper of tennis tournaments in 2012. The collection is based on tennis courts, and uses accent colors from the three different courts: hard courts, grass courts, and clay courts. The cases are made of high-tech ceramic, giving the watches a sporty and lightweight feel.

　The line on the rubber strap of the model worn by Kunieda Shingo is placed to the left rather than in the center, expressing the tension of tennis, where players play right up to the line.

　The Hyperchrome series was inspired by Rado's vintage timepieces. It is a versatile collection launched in 2012 with the aim of being "suitable for everyday wear." Its sleek design, large case, and light, comfortable feel were a refreshing surprise, and it remains one of Rado's signature models.

Shingo Kunieda, who contributed to the spread of parasports

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A post shared by Shingo Kunieda(@shingokunieda)

　It has only been a little over a month since Shingo Kunieda announced his decision to retire on Twitter and Instagram. His message, which reflects his gentle and strong personality, shows that he has continued running for 17 years since first becoming world number one in 2006.

"Some might say I'm being too cool by retiring while still ranked number one in the world, but please forgive me (lol)," he wrote in an Instagram comment. Behind these words, however, there is an immeasurable amount of hardship and effort. Prize money has also increased over the past 20 years, and especially since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, events promoting parasports have been held all over the country. I myself have participated in a wheelchair tennis experience event, where I not only experienced the difficulty of chasing a tennis ball while maneuvering a wheelchair, but also the excitement of parasports.

　As more events like this are held in the future, Shingo Kunieda's strength will be recognized even more. I believe that Shingo Kunieda, who continues to have a major impact on the development of wheelchair tennis even after his retirement, is the strongest.