One of the bigger rewards for winning the junior Wimbledon title – aside from the prestige of following in the footsteps of the likes of Roger Federer, Stefan Edberg and Ivan Lendl – is the opportunity to compete for a place in the main draw the following year.

But 18-year-old Shintaro Mochizuki, who won the boys’ singles title at Wimbledon in 2019, feared that his chance of a wild card into this year’s qualifying event had gone following the cancellation of the tournament in 2020.

Happily for the former junior world No. 1, his triumph remained fresh in the mind of the All England Club who handed him a spot in this week’s draw in Roehampton.

“Last year was tough with Covid - I didn’t think I was going to get a wild card for the qualies this year,” Mochizuki admitted. “It’s 2021, and I won in 2019! I was really happy when I heard that I got the wild card for qualies. I was super excited about it.”

Mochizuki channelled that excitement into a fine victory in his opening round match in Roehampton on Tuesday – defeating 20-year-old Hugo Gaston (ranked 440 places above him) 1-6 6-2 6-4.

While clay aficionado Gaston was unsettled in his first professional singles outing on grass, Mochizuki proved slick on a surface he’s already grown fond of.

“It’s amazing – I love playing on grass,” admitted the world No. 500, albeit acknowledging that it hasn’t always been that way. “I actually played one grass tournament two weeks before Junior Wimbledon in 2019. The first day of practice I was horrible.

“I was like, ‘I don’t know how to play on grass, I don’t know what to do’, but I discussed it with my coach, I practiced for a few days, got used to it, and I loved it [ever since].”

Mochizuki led Japan to the Junior Davis Cup title in 2019 and made his debut in the senior competition this March – on his favoured surface, no less – on the grass of Pakistan, sealing an unassailable 3-0 lead for his nation in the doubles.

In a fortunate position for an emerging teenager, Mochizuki often trains with compatriot Kei Nishikori at the IMG Academy in Florida, even if the former world No. 4 is "not there much".

"When he is there, I get to practice with him," he said. "He doesn’t give me advice for the transition [to the pros], but he gives me advice on my tennis. Things like my backhand - he says 'if you have a chance you should go for it more'. Returns too."

Despite the opportunities already afforded to him and the accolades already under his belt in the junior game, Mochizuki insists he doesn't feel any pressure to make a fast transition to the men's game.

“Not really," he said. "Juniors are juniors. I’m now playing men’s tennis. I’m still 500 on the ATP. I’m not putting pressure on myself, I’m just trying my best on the court."

Has he found a significant difference, then, between juniors and pro competition? 

"I think physically, yes. Physically it's tougher. Even when I win a match, I have to play long. I can't win it easily," he says, laughing.

Whether easy or not, Mochizuki is keen on finding a way to win. A place in the main draw at Wimbledon might yet be a little out of his reach this year, but you suspect that won't be the case for long.