Yosuke Watanuki showed off his can of Pepsi during his Indian Wells match (Image: X/Tennis TV)
Yosuke Watanuki may have been looking to capitalise on his new-found fame at Indian Wells by attempting to land an endorsement deal midway through a match. The tennis star was given the stiff task of taking on in the third round of the California event. Having won the opening set, Watanuki found himself down a break at 4-5 in the second and in desperate need of some inspiration to avoid being taken to a decider. The Japanese knew he would require an injection of energy to keep his levels up at a crucial moment in the match, and so he turned to his trusted source for a quick energy boost.
While some players take on squash, bananas or condensed snacks, Watanuki made a strange request for a can of Pepsi. During his brief break at the chair, the 26-year-old could be heard speaking to the umpire, asking: “Do we have them [Pepsi]?” The official then sent one of the ball boys to fetch an ice-cold beverage from the courtside fridge who handed it to a delighted Watanuki. Tennis TV’s commentator Jason Goodall then quipped: “[He] needs a sugary drink right now. He asked for a Pepsi…can one be found? Ah, there we go. Nice work with that, got to be right?”
At one stage, Watanuki appeared to ask permission from his team to glug down the fizzy pop, staring in their direction and holding the drink aloft in his hand as he flashed a grin. He then held the metallic blue container aloft in front of the TV cameras, prompting the commentator to joke: “[He’s] trying to get an endorsement.”
Watanuki’s cheeky gesture prompted his team to laugh, and the incident may well have caught the eye of the American soft drink giant if they were watching the action in California.
Yosuke Watanuki’s sugar rush helped him beat Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (Image: Getty)
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What became apparent after gulping down the liquid refreshment was that Watanuki appeared to raise his game. According to statistics from the match, his average topspin forehand before the break was clocked at 77mph.
But that increased to 80mph after he consumed his favourite drink – indicating the extent to which his body was positively affected by the sugar rush.
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The reinvigorated Watanuki held his nerve and broke back against Tiafoe, saving two set points in the process. He forced a second-set tiebreak and emerged victorious, pulling off a memorable upset against the two-time US Open semi-finalist to seal his place in the round of 16.
There, he will face the world No. 43 Tallon Griekspoor in what will prove to be another difficult test for the Saitama native. But as long as his fridge is stocked to the brim with Pepsi, he will feel confident about beating the Dutchman.