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Opening on June 4th! French Open Tennis Wheelchair Division Interview with Kaito Oda and Yui Kamiji Oda on consecutive victory: “I feel like I can win”
https://wod.wowow.co.jp/genre/123
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[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/1355/7770/resize/d1355-7770-5d5f9bbcb5384b4bd04-0.jpg&s3=1355-7770-59a8998a12aadd4ade50ac569ae12243-1800×1200.jpg] GettyImages
The second Grand Slam of the year, the French Open Tennis, has entered its second half. Gaito Oda and Yui Kamiji, who will be competing in the wheelchair division which begins today, June 4th (Tuesday), gave an exclusive interview to WOWOW.
Oda, 18, won last year’s French Open and Wimbledon, and this year’s Australian Open, and will be looking to win back-to-back titles at this tournament. Kamiji aims to win the women’s singles title for the first time in four years. In the first round, Oda will face R. Spaergalen (Netherlands) and Kamiji will face A. Bernal (Colombia). [Gaito Oda]
Q. How are you currently doing?
Condition is extremely good. I was like, “I can win now.”
Q. How was this year’s clay season?
I haven’t even played in the preliminaries and the French Open will be my first clay match, so I want to give it my all from the first match and give it my full power. We have a lot of players who have been on the road quite a bit, so compared to those players, we don’t feel as fatigued, so I think it’s a good feeling because we can take on the matches in a fresh state.
Q. Please tell me why you made that choice.
I’m currently in second place in the rankings, so I have the option of competing hard and making up the difference in points, but I want to take on the French Open in a fresh state, so I’m going to practice a lot on clay and prepare for the French Open. I prepared for it. Q. Are there any differences in your mindset as you take on the French Open? I haven’t changed my mind much. For now, I’m only thinking about winning. Q. Last year you won the French Open. Are you feeling pressured this year? I don’t feel any pressure. If you are having fun playing tennis, you will win; if you are not having fun, you will lose. That’s why I think the most important thing is to have fun.
Q. The Paralympic Games will be held at this venue this year. How are you feeling?
I’m not really thinking about the Paralympics yet, but I’m doing it with the intention of coming back here again. I think of it as a rehearsal for the actual Paralympic Games, and I want to take it seriously and produce results.
Q. At this year’s Australian Open, you said, “It was frustrating to be in second place.” He is currently 2nd in the rankings heading into the French Open. How are you feeling?
I fell to 2nd place once in March, and although I won the tournament in April, I was still in 2nd place due to the points difference.If I could win both the French Open this time and the tournament in France next week, I would be able to get back to 1st place. So, in these two tournaments, I have practiced hard with the goal of “returning to first place”.
Q. What kind of play will you show in this tournament?
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/1355/7770/resize/d1355-7770-14000a8b01ce02ac6554-2.jpg&s3=1355-7770-ce379189d4406e54f208f66e73cec658-688×847.jpg] I change myself every year, including my hairstyle (laughs). Of course, tennis is constantly evolving, and I’ve always been aiming to play tennis as close to that of an able-bodied player, so I’d like you to see the difference from the previous years, and I’m preparing well, so I hope you’ll look forward to it. .
Q. Please tell us what you are particular about with this hairstyle. I wanted my hair to look like European people, so I told them to do it like a foreigner’s, so I think my hair has improved a lot.
Q. Last year, you said that “2024 will be a decisive year.” Please tell us about the points that have evolved compared to last year. I won last year’s Japan Open, and this year’s Australian Open, and I’m steadily accomplishing the goals I’ve set for myself, so if I can win the French Open and Wimbledon, I’ll be mentally stable and ready for the Paralympics. This (French Open) is still a passing point, so I would like to get a solid result and connect it to the Paralympic Games.
Q. Do you ever think about the Golden Slam?
I don’t really think about that.
Q. Please tell us your enthusiasm for the first match.
I think I can win if I do what I always do, so I’m not really thinking about anything, but I want to win as straight as possible with a good score. The first point in the first match is important, so I will keep it in mind and show my tennis.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/1355/7770/resize/d1355-7770-3c6e283ff3c023eab90d-1.jpg&s3=1355-7770-32f90bedcd86afd9500a2054cf754719-2340×1547.jpg] GettyImages
[Yui Kamiji]
Q. How are you doing now?
We arrived in Paris early to practice, but it was raining so much that we only practiced indoors, but yesterday (June 2nd) we were finally able to practice outdoors. I’m feeling a little chilly in Paris this year. I need to make a few more adjustments for the main race, so I will continue to practice so that I can fully demonstrate the various things I want to try and the things I have prepared for clay. Q. Are there any issues you are working on in preparation for the clay season? It was impressive to see De Groat (Netherlands)’ winning streak broken by a Chinese player in a national competition in Turkey in May. I watched the video of that match, and I felt that the key was their ability to hit well and attack even on clay courts, and their rallies to be long, but to find opportunities and attack during those long rallies. I did. Also, back and forth movements such as drop shots are effective, so we are focusing on them.
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/1355/7770/resize/d1355-7770-ac35bfd14907296347bf-3.jpg&s3=1355-7770-ab0fc272315df9f622598add888bafdb-905×654.jpg] Q. The Paralympic Games will be held at this venue this year. How are you feeling?
I think it’s a strength to be able to host the Paralympic Games at a familiar venue where we play every year. I want to play a competition that will be a good step toward the Paralympic Games.
Q. Please tell us your enthusiasm for the first match.
Bernal, who will be competing in his first match, is a player who is good on clay courts and is known for his straight, sharp shots, so we want to create a lot of time to control him so he doesn’t let things develop like that. Please provide some support.
**WOWOW broadcast/distribution information**
“French Open Tennis”
May 26th (Sunday) – June 9th (Sunday) Live broadcast every day on WOWOW! WOWOW On Demand delivers up to 11 courts. All matches of Japanese players will be streamed live.
[Wheelchair tennis main distribution schedule]
6/4 (Tue) (Court 7 1st match) Wheelchair men’s singles 1st round R. Spargalen vs Kaito Oda
6/4 (Tue) (Court 7 2nd match) Wheelchair women’s singles 1st round A. Bernal vs Yui Kamiji
[WOWOW On Demand French Open Page] https://wod.wowow.co.jp/genre/123 “Documentary Series WHO I AM Paralympics”
Gaito Oda appears in a large-scale original series jointly developed by WOWOW and IPC (International Paralympic Committee)! Now available on WOWOW On Demand
https://wod.wowow.co.jp/content/155512
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