Akiyama, who conveys the charm of tennis from the perspective of a writer, supervises the Grand Slam viewing tours planned by JAL, providing advice on viewing spots and venue facilities, etc. We asked him about how to enjoy watching sports, must-have items for traveling, and the highlights of this year's Wimbledon Championships.
Text: Shota Kato Photo: Keita Tamamura
Overseas reporting at the Wimbledon Championships, which sparked his fascination with tennis
On Trip JAL Editorial Department (hereinafter JAL): When did you decide you wanted to become a sports writer?
Hidehiro Akiyama (hereafter, Akiyama): One trigger may have been the 1980 Wimbledon Championships that I watched on TV during my university days. It was a time when Sweden's Bjorn Borg and America's John McEnroe, who built the golden age of men's tennis, were battling for supremacy, and their final match was very memorable. Although I spent my student days having fun, I read a lot of books, and had the opportunity to come across sports non-fiction such as the recently launched Number magazine and the works of Kotaro Sawaki. This is when I began to have a vague desire to become a writer or some other so-called creative profession.
Hidehiro Akiyama
JAL: Mr. Akiyama, you cover tennis not only in Japan but also overseas matches. When was your first overseas coverage and what was it about?
Akiyama: It was in 1989. At the time, I was working for a tennis magazine, but I wasn't a tennis specialist writer, and I had no experience reporting overseas. But one day, the editor-in-chief assigned me to cover something. Of all places, it was the Wimbledon Championships.
As it is the world's most prestigious tournament, of course there were many experienced foreign journalists in London. I vividly remember the indescribable elation I felt stepping onto the Wimbledon stage, in a situation where an inexperienced writer like me was welcomed into the crowd as a journalist on the world's biggest stage, and seeing my idol, McEnroe, right in front of me.
JAL: What do you think is the appeal of the Wimbledon Championships from your experience covering the event?
Akiyama: Of course, the matches and the players' performances were impressive, but the architecture and atmosphere of the venue also left an impression on me. Although some parts have changed since then, Wimbledon's centre court was built in a very classical style. Ivy grew on the outer walls of the court, and the press seats were made of wood like those found in school auditoriums. The spectator seats were slightly curved, making it easy to see the whole view, and you could see at a glance that the spectators' gazes were concentrated at one point on the court.
Also, this is something that is unique to tennis, but the moment the umpire makes the call, the venue falls silent. Wimbledon is the venue where this manner is most established in the world. All 15,000 spectators fall silent at once. Perhaps the sound is absorbed by the grass and wooden structure of the venue, and we are enveloped in a silence like splashing water, and we can clearly hear the sound of the ball being hit, the players' breathing, and even the sound of their movements on the grass. I still remember that scene.
Whether watching sports or traveling, it's the details that stay in your memory
JAL: Was your first experience covering Wimbledon what sparked your interest in tennis?
Akiyama: That's very true. I was young at 28 at the time, and I was interested in other fields, so I had the option of becoming a writer who didn't specialize in tennis. But I decided to compete in tennis. For me, the appeal of sports reporting is being able to witness the incredible phenomena and performances that are happening on the spot, and the excitement and fear I feel at that time are indescribable.
JAL: Are you scared?
Akiyama: There are frequent nail-biting situations, and I always feel the pressure that something really important might happen during my reporting. If there's a big upset in the game, I have to publish a breaking news article, so I'm scared that I'll be so busy that I won't get any sleep on the day (laughs).
Despite this pressure, I also want to express in my manuscript at least one word about something that only I could pick up on the spot. I want to incorporate as much as possible of what I sensed as I was there, including turning points that changed the flow of the match, and seemingly insignificant details, such as a bird wandering in and crossing the court. Maybe a match that will go down in tennis history will unfold right before my eyes. Because I'm in that kind of environment.
JAL: You keep your ears open not only to the games, but to everything that happens there. I'm sure you also have the opportunity to travel abroad for personal reasons aside from reporting. Is there any trip that left a lasting impression on you?
Akiyama: It's not a particular country or trip that I've been to, but the sights and little details I encounter on my travels that leave the biggest impression on me. When I traveled around Europe for about six weeks in 1987, I went to watch a match in the Spanish professional soccer league, La Liga. I watched the exciting match between Real Madrid and Valencia at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, a stadium that can accommodate about 80,000 people. The crowd was almost entirely cheering for Real, and when a goal was scored, young men and women, who must have been seeing each other for the first time, embraced and kissed each other. They were proactive in shouting loudly at any slight rough play, and stood up in joy when a goal was scored. This kind of excitement is something you don't see in Japan. Those kinds of details left an impression on me.
Similar scenes happen in tennis. When local French players perform well at the French Open, the spectators all stand up and the 15,000-seat center court shakes like an earthquake. I wish I could say I went on a trip to Alaska to see the Northern Lights, but it's still a story about sports (laughs).
JAL: Is the temperament of audiences different from country to country?
Akiyama: That's right. For example, in France, there is a lot of support for the local players, but even if they are French players, if they play uncompetitively or seem strangely nervous, they will be booed. People who fight bravely are respected.
In fact, at the French Open, a promising local French player lost to a lower-ranked player. The player had a bit of a weak heart, and at first the whole crowd tried to cheer her on, but it didn't work, and then the crowd started booing. It's because of the passionate support that the strictness comes from.
Let's support Kei Nishikori!
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
