IMG Academy’s Wakana Sonobe Begins WTA Career
Nov 14, 2025
IMG Academy is proud to share that Wakana Sonobe, the 2024 Australian Open Junior Champion and former ITF World Junior No. 1, has officially turned professional with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Sonobe made her WTA Tour debut on Oct. 12 at the Japan Open (WTA 250) in Osaka, marking the beginning of her professional journey on one of tennis’s biggest stages.
Photo credit: IMG
Sonobe’s path to the pro tour has been shaped by IMG Academy’s unrivaled tennis program and developmental environment. She joined the Academy at age 13, training under the guidance of Margie Zesinger, Head of the Girls Tennis Program. During her time at IMG Academy, Sonobe honed her game, rose to the top of the junior ranks, and captured one of the sport’s most prestigious titles at the Australian Open.
Her transition to the professional circuit continues a powerful legacy: Sonobe is the eighth IMG Academy student-athlete in the past decade to achieve the ITF World Junior No. 1 ranking, and the sixth to successfully progress to the professional level, competing on the WTA Tour. She is also the second consecutive Japanese player from IMG Academy to earn the No. 1 junior ranking, following Rei Sakamoto’s achievement in 2024.
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