The wheelchair division of Wimbledon, one of the four major tennis tournaments (Grand Slams), kicked off on the 8th in London, England, with Kaito Oda facing B. Bertram (UK) and Yui Kamiji facing A. Bernard (Colombia) in the first round. Oda is aiming for his first men's singles title in two years, while Kamiji is aiming for her first women's singles title. Both players spoke of their aspirations in an interview with actor Ken Ishiguro, special navigator for WOWOW, which is broadcasting Wimbledon live.
◇Kaito Oda
--How do you adjust to the grass court?
Last year I lost in the semi-finals, but the year after I lost I often won, so I'm more motivated than last year. This year I want to win.
--What makes grass different from other surfaces?
I'm not conscious of the fact that it's grass. I don't want to take measures to avoid the grass, but rather I want to face it head on. I think my strength is being able to serve and volley as usual even on grass, so I want to play tennis without worrying about it.
--You seem to have gotten bigger, what kind of physical training do you do?
I felt like I was able to push myself before the tournament, so I'm confident about my physical condition. I'm doing the same routine as always, but I'm increasing the number of repetitions and practicing to improve my accuracy. I don't show it much on social media or in interviews, but I'm practicing more than you might think. I only post pictures of me having fun on Instagram (laughs).
--How enthusiastic are you about this tournament?
I'm really looking forward to it. I've played against Hewett in the finals many times, so I think the atmosphere will be exciting, and I'm looking forward to playing against him. I'm confident that I can show my improved skills, so I want to play a match that makes people think, "That's high quality!" I want people to look forward to seeing if I can show my strengths on grass, and I want more people to see that I'm having fun playing.
◇ Yui Kamiji
--You're heading to Wimbledon having won the Australian Open and the French Open, but how are you adjusting to the grass surface?
(Last week) I took part in the tournament in Roehampton as a warm-up match, where I competed against De Groot and Van Koot, and I think it was a good result with solid wins.
--What makes grass significantly different from other surfaces?
Slice shots sometimes slide, and there are irregular movements. (Wheelchairs) can only move as far as you pedal, so it's difficult to use the momentum of the wheelchair to prepare for the shot. Unlike hard or clay courts, the grass stops your feet, so the load is greater, and I think the way you keep the distance will change. In my case, I'll try to increase the air pressure in my tires to increase the resistance so that I don't get buried in the grass.
What does it take to reach even greater heights?
My goal this year is to win the Wimbledon singles title. I feel that being able to play in various ways on a surface where the situation changes in various ways is a strength. I would like to be able to watch the whole match and tactics well so that I can play the various cards I have at the best timing according to the situation of my opponent.
--How do you want to fight in this tournament, where the Career Golden Slam is at stake?
I'm happy that I was able to win last week's tournament despite some tough battles. However, the feel of the surface is different and I think each player will play in a way that suits them, so I want to play my own style and win, even though there are players who are excited to be on the big stage of a Grand Slam.
※……Wimbledon will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW. The wheelchair tennis broadcast schedule for the 8th is as follows. (Court 14, Match 2) "Wheelchair Men's Singles, 1st Round, Kaito Oda vs. B. Bertram" ▽ (Court 15, Match 3) "Wheelchair Women's Singles, 1st Round, Yui Kamiji vs. A. Bernard"
