Nanjiro Echizen is Ryoma's father and the guy behind the legend of "Samurai Nanjiro"—a name he earned back when he seemed basically unbeatable on the professional tennis circuit. He played as an all-rounder with a right-handed grip and had this incredible natural talent that showed up early: he actually discovered his signature "nitōryū" technique entirely on his own during high school.
His coach back then was Sumire Ryuzaki, who recognized his potential and trained him through junior high and beyond. After turning pro and leaving Japan, Nanjiro went on an impressive undefeated streak. He was genuinely close to winning a Grand Slam—literally one opponent away—when he surprised everyone by retiring early.
He's married to Rinko, and together they have Ryoma. He's also the adoptive father of Ryoga and uncle to Nanako Meino.
Birthdate: November 11
Age: Late 30s
Playing Style: All-Rounder, Right-handed
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.