"Amateur" coach who supported the Grand Slam victory ... Tennis Ena Shibahara June 29, 16:28

At the end, he won his first Grand Slam victory, which he grabbed with his own service ace.

I pushed my hands high on the red clay coat.

Ena Shibahara (24 years old) won the French Open mixed doubles for the first time earlier this month.

She kept smiling even when she was in pain, and made a series of sharp serves and volleys, and a powerful return that was comparable to male players.

Supporting her breakthrough was "Team Shibahara" led by her father, who had no coaching experience.

Look into the back of the coat.

(Announcer Yuki Inoue, Reporter of Sports News Department Sara Terasako)

Mixed doubles that was the origin

Ena Shibahara

"The title in the mixed doubles had a really special meaning to me."

Shibahara was born and raised in California, USA, where he emigrated because of his father's work.

He was the youngest of a family of five, and his encounter with tennis was a mixed doubles with his parents and two older brothers, which he began at the age of seven.

While having fun with his family, he is still young, so as the "fifth" player on the court, he is always assigned to pick up balls.

He wants to join him as soon as possible, and he says he has been practicing since he was a child.

It was Shibahara's starting point to innocently declare to his family that he would become a professional one day and win against everyone.

Zero coaching experience Three-legged race with my father

This was my first Grand Slam victory, and it was a pleasure for my family.

His father, Yoshiyasu (64 years old), has been a coach since he started playing tennis.

I led Shibahara to the French Open, but in fact I had no experience as a coach.

Yoshiyasu Shibahara

"I was happy to win, of course, but I wasn't an amateur coach. I was wondering if I was right. I myself too. I was worried, and I've always been wondering what to do if I couldn't win. "

Usually an office worker.

Although he was a soft tennis club in college, he has no experience as a coach.

In addition, I couldn't afford to have a coach for my three children.

But I want to do whatever I can for tennis, which her daughter loves.

The idea was to learn tennis with her daughter as well.

Yoshiyasu took a video camera of his brother learning to play tennis with another coach every time, and cut down the time to sleep in the video to study every night.

And he is self-taught and has taught Shibahara.

Including after-school practice, he accompanies many games and tours without fail.

When I was a junior, I met various coaches in high school and college, but Yoshiyasu always watched over Shibahara closest to me.

While many players are studying under professional coaches and entering tennis academies, even after turning professional, they are still walking as parents and children.

Ena Shibahara

"My dad has been the number one coach for me since I started playing tennis. I have spent countless hours, maybe more time playing tennis, as if I were walking in the right direction. He may have poured it in. I've been coached by various coaches, but I trusted my dad the most and never doubted that he was with me. "

Why did Yoshiyasu get so absorbed in the coach?

Yoshiyasu Shibahara

"I absorbed new things and told them to the children, and it was better than I expected. It was a lot of fun to see it."

However, my mother, Sachiko (61 years old), who was listening to what I was talking about, said something like this.

Sachiko Shibahara

"I think my husband really wants to do it (Yoshiyasu-san" Oh, that's right ").

He wants to do it himself.

I want to study and do it myself.

I think there were children on the extension line.

The truth is myself.

I have the most fun. "

Now the switch is "ON"

Shibahara had an important habit that supported him at the French Open.

It is a "tennis notebook" that my parents have come up with since I was a child.

In it, the notices and positive words that encourage oneself are written down.

During the game, when he was depressed because he couldn't hit as he wanted, he looked back at this note when he changed courts and changed his feelings to positive.

Ena Shibahara

"I write in my notebook every time I say," Be strong, brave, and positive. " I was able to look back and reset my feelings. It was an opportunity to regain my strength in times of difficulty. "

And one more.

There was also a father's gimmick in this note.

When I wanted to do as much as I could to win, Yoshiyasu came up with an idea.

Ena Shibahara

"Actually, my dad used to draw a picture of" switch "on his notebook. My family used to say" on / off "switch. It was on paper, but it was painful during the match. Sometimes I pressed the picture with my thumb to switch on my feelings. "

An old notebook that my parents showed me.

The paintings were worn out because I had touched them many times to inspire myself.

Shibahara has been using switches since he was a child, but now he seems to have evolved into another switch.

Ena Shibahara

"I used to write in my notebook, but now the lid of the beverage bottle used in the game is a switch. When the lid is open, I drink a drink" off "and click the lid. When I close it, I give a signal to inject a feeling of fighting. "

For my proud sister

This Grand Slam victory was a big driving force not only for his father but also for each family member.

The powerful strokes shown in the mixed doubles, which are comparable to the opponent's male players, have been cultivated from an early age while meeting with two older brothers who have also been aiming for professionals.

And those older brothers are now supporting in another way for their proud younger sister.

Mizuki (32 years old), the eldest son, is the manager of Shibahara and also serves as a trainer who prepares the physical condition.

His second son, Mr. Washihira (29 years old), accompanied Shibahara as a hitting coach on overseas expeditions and supported the road to the Tokyo Olympics last year.

Shibahara recalls that he couldn't come this far by himself during the time when he was really suffering from Korona-ka.

Through the success of his younger sister, we are working together to continue the dream that could not be fulfilled.

And the mother-daughter "laughing gate"

And Sachiko, a mother who always supports her heart.

Her teaching is to be polite on the court and keep smiling.

There was a "password" that her mother and daughter had cherished so far.

Sachiko Shibahara

"I always say that Fuku comes to the laughing gate. Even when it's hard during the game, if you smile, there's definitely something good. If you always smile, everyone will be happy. Before the game. My daughter always calls me. So when I say "to the laughing gate," Eina says "fortune comes" and sends it to the court. "

A feat that I got with my family

Yoshiyasu Shibahara

"Being able to win, I thought that what I had taught was correct. I think that what I have been doing has finally come to fruition. I am confident in myself, and I will move forward. I want to go, but from here. It feels like I've taken a step forward. "

Yoshiyasu-san, not as a coach, but as a father.

Yoshiyasu Shibahara

"I've always wanted to go to various places in the world, so I'm like thank you for taking my dad to various places."

The next battle is the Wimbledon Championship, which is one of the four major tournaments.

Shibahara will participate in the women's doubles.

Ena Shibahara

"I was able to win the Grand Slam, so I'm confident that I can move on to the next tournament. For everyone, a fun, energetic and positive player on the court even in a bad match. I want you to see it as. I want to bring back the trophy for my family. "

The starting point for this interview was the gratitude to his family, which Shibahara said in a victory interview after the French Open match.

What kind of family is it?

When I asked her directly, I got a glimpse of the great support of "Team Shibahara" behind her play and smile.

Make any challenge positive.

It must be related to the fact that five family members snuggled up and over on the inside and outside of the court in a foreign land, in a different language and culture.

Grand slam victory, connected from the mixed doubles of the family.

However, the challenge of Shibahara and her family has just begun.

Switch on for the next victory!

Announcement room

Yuki Inoue

Joined in 2007

After working at the Matsue station, he

is currently in charge of the "Metropolitan area network"

, covering domestic and overseas coverage such as "News 7" and "Close-up Gendai +".

Sports News Department Reporter

Sara Terasako

Joined

in 2016 After working at the Kochi Bureau and Tsu Bureau, she

was a softball player when she was a student

at the Sports News Department , and is currently enthusiastic about golf.