TV-Series
Description
Duke Watanabe stands 192 cm tall and weighs 88 kg, a half-French, half-Japanese tennis player representing Japan as the U-17 team's No. 3. His distinctive black mohawk and facial hair frame his mouth and chin, presenting a typically laid-back demeanor that belies his muscular build.
Originally known as "The Destroyer" on France's U-17 team, his path changed dramatically two years prior. Japan's captain, Hōō Byōdōin, saved Duke's younger sister Chloe from a collapsing building roof just before a World Cup match between Japan and France. Byōdōin's resulting injuries caused him to lose against Duke, eliminating Japan. Witnessing Byōdōin's unwavering spirit, Duke transferred allegiance, pledging loyalty to Byōdōin, whom he consistently calls "Boss".
Off-court, Duke balances calmness with intense match focus. He maintains daily video calls with Chloe and carries her photograph for motivation. He enjoys cooking, strolls, onigiri, and hand-rolled sushi, listing "pure maiden" as his preferred romantic type. His skills include preparing fish in three layers and sewing. He dislikes rain and pickled dried ume.
An aggressive baseliner, Duke wields a Head Youtek Graphene Speed Pro racquet and wears Adidas adizero Mana II shoes. His signature techniques are the power-focused "Duke Homerun", the strategic drop shot "Duke Bunt", and "Playball". He commits fully in critical matches, disregarding tactical restraints.
Key matches define his journey:
* Pre-World Cup exhibition: Partnered with Shusuke Fuji against Germany, he improvised "Duke Bunt" to counter net-play restrictions, securing a narrow victory.
* World Cup group league: Paired with Gin Ishida against Switzerland, they lost decisively (1-6), exposing coordination challenges.
* World Cup semi-finals: Teaming with Masaharu Niō against German professionals, Duke adapted to Niō's illusion-based transformations into Byōdōin and French captain Camus. Their combined "Creation" technique secured a three-set victory (6-3, 0-6, 7-6).
* Intra-squad ranking matches: Duke defeated Niō 6-0, facing Kazuya Tokugawa for the Singles 1 position.
His relationship with French captain Camus de Charpentier remains complex, marked by mutual respect and unresolved rivalry. Duke requested to face Camus in the World Cup quarter-finals' Singles 1 match, a wish granted by coaches but ultimately unfulfilled due to France's earlier forfeit. Their post-match discussion included a brief private tennis exchange.
Originally known as "The Destroyer" on France's U-17 team, his path changed dramatically two years prior. Japan's captain, Hōō Byōdōin, saved Duke's younger sister Chloe from a collapsing building roof just before a World Cup match between Japan and France. Byōdōin's resulting injuries caused him to lose against Duke, eliminating Japan. Witnessing Byōdōin's unwavering spirit, Duke transferred allegiance, pledging loyalty to Byōdōin, whom he consistently calls "Boss".
Off-court, Duke balances calmness with intense match focus. He maintains daily video calls with Chloe and carries her photograph for motivation. He enjoys cooking, strolls, onigiri, and hand-rolled sushi, listing "pure maiden" as his preferred romantic type. His skills include preparing fish in three layers and sewing. He dislikes rain and pickled dried ume.
An aggressive baseliner, Duke wields a Head Youtek Graphene Speed Pro racquet and wears Adidas adizero Mana II shoes. His signature techniques are the power-focused "Duke Homerun", the strategic drop shot "Duke Bunt", and "Playball". He commits fully in critical matches, disregarding tactical restraints.
Key matches define his journey:
* Pre-World Cup exhibition: Partnered with Shusuke Fuji against Germany, he improvised "Duke Bunt" to counter net-play restrictions, securing a narrow victory.
* World Cup group league: Paired with Gin Ishida against Switzerland, they lost decisively (1-6), exposing coordination challenges.
* World Cup semi-finals: Teaming with Masaharu Niō against German professionals, Duke adapted to Niō's illusion-based transformations into Byōdōin and French captain Camus. Their combined "Creation" technique secured a three-set victory (6-3, 0-6, 7-6).
* Intra-squad ranking matches: Duke defeated Niō 6-0, facing Kazuya Tokugawa for the Singles 1 position.
His relationship with French captain Camus de Charpentier remains complex, marked by mutual respect and unresolved rivalry. Duke requested to face Camus in the World Cup quarter-finals' Singles 1 match, a wish granted by coaches but ultimately unfulfilled due to France's earlier forfeit. Their post-match discussion included a brief private tennis exchange.