[WOWOW Co., Ltd.] “US Open Tennis” starts on August 26th (Monday)! WOWOW, which broadcasts exclusive live broadcasts and broadcasts every day, has exclusive interviews with notable Japanese players! *WOWOW Co., Ltd.*
Press release: August 26, 2024
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“US Open Tennis” starts on August 26th (Monday)! WOWOW, which broadcasts exclusive live broadcasts and broadcasts every day, has exclusive interviews with notable Japanese players!
*https://wod.wowow.co.jp/genre/122*
Naomi Osaka
The fourth Grand Slam match of the 2024 season, the US Open Tennis, will begin on August 26th (Monday). WOWOW will provide exclusive live coverage of the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.
The first day of the tournament will be broadcast free of charge and live streamed free of charge. WOWOW On Demand plans to live stream all matches of Japanese players.
Before the opening, Yoshihito Nishioka and Taro Daniel, who will be competing in the men’s singles, and Naomi Osaka, Moeka Uchijima, Nanoo Hibi, and Eina Shibahara, who will be competing in the women’s singles, gave exclusive interviews to WOWOW.
Osaka, who participated as a wild card, will be participating for the first time in two years and will be aiming for her third victory following 2018 and 2020. Osaka will face J. Ostapenko (Latvia) in the first round.
On the men’s side, all eyes will be on defending champion N. Djokovic (Serbia), J. Sinner (Italy), and C. Alcaraz (Spain).
The women’s team will be led by C. Gauff (USA), who is aiming for a consecutive title, and I. Świętek (Poland), who is ranked number one in the world.
Yoshihito Nishioka
Yoshihito Nishioka
Q. Please tell us your impressions of the Atlanta tournament (where you won your third tour victory).
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A.I didn’t think we would win, so I think we were able to win the match in a good way. The first match was in a very hot environment, so I wonder if I’ll be physically fit? It was a week in which we endured very well, with many matches that made me think. The semi-finals were a close call, and I think we would have lost the final had it not been postponed due to rain. In a way, I think this week turned out well for me. I think the fact that we were able to secure a solid victory gave us confidence. *
Q. In Cincinnati (after Atlanta), I got the impression that he had a mental breakdown. I thought it was unusual for you to express your frustration like that, but what do you think about it?
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A.I was feeling very good. From the start, he (H. Hurkač) was playing the game, struggling with whether or not to stop playing. As the match progressed, I felt like he wasn’t very motivated, so I thought we could win. However, his serve was good, and as is typical of big players, they can hit the ball (strongly), so when I lost motivation, I just hit it anyway.
I definitely tried to end it (the game) a few times, but he hit the ball in a good spot and turned it around, so that’s where the frustration built up. It wasn’t so much about my own play, but because my opponent was giving up and my play went well, and I was frustrated that the match was reversed. Of course I think it was a bad place, but moments like that don’t happen often for me either. I think one saving grace is that it wasn’t a bad tennis match. *
Q. How are you currently mentally and physically?
* A. I have some pain in my body, but I can move around and I don’t think it’s a big problem. *
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As for my tennis condition, I am seeing some results, and my performance and condition are improving. I’ve been here (New York) solidly and have been adjusting for a long time, so I think I’m in pretty good shape both tennis-wise and mentally. Even as an opponent (M. Kitsmanovic), he is a player who is playing almost evenly. We won in Cincinnati, but the court here is slower, so we wonder what will happen when it becomes a rally. I think it will be a tough match, but I think we have a chance to win if we play good tennis. *
Daniel Taro
Daniel Taro
Q.How have you been mentally and physically since entering the hard court season?
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After the Paris Olympics ended, I immediately went to Montreal and started the hard court season right away. I was happy to make it through the qualifying rounds in Montreal, but since then I’ve been losing, so to be honest, I can’t say I’m feeling very confident. I’ve made great progress in many areas tennis-wise, but over the past two weeks I’ve been lacking in energy. But over the past few days, I feel like I’ve regained my energy and I’m getting better prepared. *
Q. How do you rebuild your mental health?
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A. Someday, this career will come to an end, no matter what, so rather than winning or losing, I want to experience everything I’m doing as fully as possible. *
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It’s basically the same thing as “living in the moment,” but I think you have to find your own language to get there. Even if I suddenly say, “Let’s have fun, let’s have fun,” there will be strong opposition. Although I’m pessimistic, I think it’s still easier to accept negative voices and then take positive action. *
Q. Please tell me how you are preparing for the first round (vs. School Kate).
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A. Our opponent is a young player who received a wild card, so I think he has nothing to lose and will play aggressively. He’s basically an aggressive player who comes forward, so I have the image of him pushing me to the back. I think it will be a match like a martial arts match. The overall idea is to keep the other person in front of you as much as possible, and when you do, do it because you want to (the other person). I haven’t looked at the details yet, so I’ll think about it more carefully as the game gets closer. *
Q. What do you think of Kei Nishikori’s performance in Montreal?
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Of course I feel happy. We were together all the time in Montreal and the Paris Olympics just before that. I think he is truly a genius. When we were able to play doubles together (during the Paris Olympics), I thought it was amazing. If you can produce results, I’ll think, “I knew it.” I’m glad I’m spending time with him. *
* Naomi Osaka *
(C)Getty Images Naomi Osaka
Q. You said on Instagram that you felt like your body didn’t belong to you after giving birth to your child. Did you ever imagine that would happen?
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A. I knew it would happen. I actually felt that way after giving birth and during training. I remember running on the track and not being able to run fast. I was surpassed by everyone, even my mother. That’s why I cried. Because I thought I wouldn’t be able to play at a high level anymore. *
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At Cincinnati, I thought this was a little unexpected. Because that’s how I felt at the end of the season. But at the same time, I had never played such a full schedule before, and I had never experienced the transition from clay to grass, from clay to hard. So I thought I needed to spend more time on hard courts. *
Q. How does it feel to be back in the United States, which you love?
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A.This competition is really special to me. I grew up here and I love coming here. Of course, the surface suits me very well. I also had a very good practice, so I hope I can get a good result. *
Q. I think you had long-term goals after making a comeback at the Australian Open. I hope we can get good results this time. What plan do you have?
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A. It would have been nice to get a good result right away, but I kept telling myself that I wanted to get a good result here (in New York) and at the tournament in Japan. I still hope I can do that. * *
Looking back, I think this season I learned how to play on clay, and I learned how to play on grass. And now that I’m back on the hard court, I hope I can continue to improve because I’m sure I’m a better player. *
*Moeka Uchijima*
Moeka Uchijima
Q. This is your first U.S. main tournament. What is your current mood and mood?
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I think the US Open has a more festive feel compared to other Grand Slams, and I think it’s a tournament where you can have fun with the audience. The past two years have been disappointing (losing in the preliminary rounds), so I don’t have many fond memories of this tournament, but this year I’ll start with the main tournament, so I’m looking forward to it. *
Q.I think this year can be called a year of breakthrough. What are the factors that make you play tennis the way you should?
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A.I think the reason for our victory is that we are fighting emotionally and tough. Of course, there are technical issues in tennis as well, but I think the main reason for my success this year is that I have grown a lot mentally. I want to do my best not to let my emotions get the better of me in this tournament. *
Q. Now that you are competing against top players such as Sabalenka more and more, do you feel that your tennis is proving to be effective?
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A. Having fought against Sabalenka, Jabbar, and now Samsonova in Toronto, I’ve been slowly losing ground in terms of scores, and I’m feeling better after actually playing matches. I think it will be a tough battle again this time, but I want to be able to play in my own way. *
Q.What impression do you have of Colpacz, your opponent in the first round?
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A. To be honest, I don’t have much impression. I have never seen a game or practiced, so I am currently gathering information. Although he is a naughty and persistent player (with a playing style), he is not intimidated, so I think he will have a chance if he can play his own way. First of all, I want to prepare well so that I can perform at my best. *
Q.What is your goal for this tournament?
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First one win. This year, I was able to win one match in the French Open, so I would like to win one in the United States as well. I want to play one game at a time without looking too far ahead, so I want to play my best in the first round. *
*Nao Hibi*
Hibi Nao
Q. How do you feel about the US Open now?
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I’m really looking forward to playing hard court, which is my specialty. (My condition) is kind of dizzy. It was emotionally difficult for me because I was competing in the qualifying rounds, which was just the last possible spot to qualify for the main event (straight). However, looking back now, it gave me confidence knowing that we were able to win through three tough games. I’m looking forward to the main race as I will be able to enter the competition with a new mindset. *
Q. Have you improved in your condition after playing three games in the qualifying round?
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A. It’s not that I was able to win because I was in great shape, but rather that I fought through the three matches even though I wasn’t feeling very well, even though I struggled on my own. In that sense, I have become mentally stronger. Although I’m not playing very well, I feel calm. *
Q. How do you set your motivation and goals this time?
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A. Of course, I want to play as many games as possible and win as many games as possible. Lately, I’ve been thinking that there’s value in finding a way to survive even when I’m not feeling well. There are only a few games a year where I can play 100% well. My recent theme is how I can express my true self when things are not like that. No matter what happens in the first round, I hope I can fight until the end to bring out the best in myself. *
Q. What kind of image do you have of your first-round opponent, Wozniacki?
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A. I get the impression that he has a very wide range of defense and his strokes are solid. I’m really excited because I’ve been watching her play since I was little, but if I can get a variety of shots and play at the net, I definitely have a chance. I hope I can do well with my net play. *
* Eina Shibahara *
Eina Shibahara
Q. Congratulations on your first Grand Slam tournament! How do you feel now?
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A.I’m really happy. When I entered this year, I had the goals of “focusing on singles” and “entering the Grand Slam qualifiers and making it to the main tournament by the end of this year,” so I’m happy that I was able to achieve those goals. *
Q. When you think of Shibahara, you have the image of a doubles player in the world, but has it always been within you that you wanted to play singles?
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A. When I turned professional, I wanted to play both singles and doubles. Fortunately, the doubles results came out first, so I wasn’t able to participate in the singles much. It was a fun time for me as I entered the doubles tour and was able to participate in the finals and Grand Slams, and also met Mr. Aoyama. I hope I can use this experience to have a good match in singles as well. *
Q. What have you particularly strengthened when playing singles instead of doubles?
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A. Overall, the basics are important in singles. I’m working hard to serve and return properly, and then make the plays I like, such as forehands and volleys. I try to play aggressively so that I can serve and get the next ball with my forehand. *
Q. Your opponent in the first round is Saville, what kind of image do you have of him?
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A. He’s not a big player, but he’s a fighter who returns the ball a lot and makes various attempts such as slicing, so I want to play my game properly so I don’t get confused. I want to stay calm and play as aggressively as possible. *
Q. You have participated in many Grand Slams in doubles, but do you feel any different in singles?
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A. I was definitely more nervous (for the singles) than for the doubles, and I was really nervous when I participated in the preliminary rounds for the first time. I overcame that, so even if I get nervous again this time (in the main match), I want to enjoy competing here and laugh a lot, so that I can overcome it even if I get nervous again this time (in the main match). *
* ＊＊WOWOW broadcast/distribution information＊＊*
* August 26th (Monday) – September 9th (Monday) “US Open Tennis” * Exclusive live broadcast every day on WOWOW! Free broadcast on the first day of the tournament – Free live streaming!
https://wod.wowow.co.jp/genre/122
Day 1 Day Session Men’s and Women’s Singles 1st Round
8/26 (Monday) 11:45pm ~ [WOWOW Live] [WOWOW On Demand]
Day 1 Night Session Men’s and Women’s Singles 1st Round
8/27 (Tue) 7:40am ~ [WOWOW Live] [WOWOW On Demand]
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Live broadcast every day from September 25th (Wednesday) to October 1st (Tuesday)!
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