The first Grand Slam of the 2025 season, the Australian Open, kicks off on January 12th. WOWOW will broadcast the first Grand Slam of the year live every day, and WOWOW On Demand will broadcast live all courts and all matches. Kei Nishikori, who will be competing in the men's singles, and Naomi Osaka, who will be competing in the women's singles, were interviewed by WOWOW and shared their enthusiasm.
◇Kei Nishikori
--This is your first Australian Open in four years. How do you feel?
It feels like I'm back at a Grand Slam. It's been four years since I last participated in this tournament, so I do feel like it's been a long time, but it's a familiar venue, so I don't feel like it's been that long.
--Your comeback seems to be going smoothly compared to your past returns, with last year's Kinoshita Group Japan Open, ATP Challenger Helsinki, and your impressive performance in the ATP 250 in Hong Kong. What do you think has made this comeback go so well?
It took a while to return, though. I started playing in Miami (ATP1000) last year (March), and I've been fighting injuries ever since. I couldn't practice or train much, but I had to play in the matches, I wanted to play. Then, when I played in the match, the injury recurred a little, and I had to rest, so it was a struggle. I got a feel for it around last summer, and it's been going up and up. Even though I had some struggles, I was able to win the Challenger (ATP Challenger Helsinki) in November even though I wasn't in the best condition, and I was able to make it to the finals of Hong Kong (ATP250) even though I wasn't that confident, so I think I'm doing well. I want to work hard to take another step up.
--Now that you've returned, have you got a grasp on what it feels like to "play a match"?
I'm okay now, but I thought it would take time. I hadn't played in a match for almost two years, so I thought it wouldn't be easy. Looking around, there were some players who couldn't come back even if they had made a comeback, and I was fighting while worrying about how far I could go while comparing myself to them. Of course, there are some players like Federer who can quickly return to their usual selves, but that wasn't the case this time. I think I fought quite a lot with my mental and physical struggles.
--My impression was that your serve was very good at the ATP250 Hong Kong.
First of all, my shoulder has gotten better. I had been having shoulder pain for a long time and couldn't serve. But I was cheating with my strokes. I've been changing my serve little by little and I think it's become much smoother. Last week (ATP250 Hong Kong), I was a little faster, so I was able to take free points with my serve, and I was able to play with more room for my strokes. It's still fast here, but how many free points I can take even when my serve isn't easy is very important for the rhythm of my return game. I think that by winning many service games at 40-0 or 40-15, I'll be able to have more room and range in my play.
How did you spend your off-season?
Of course I took a break from tennis, but I wasn't that mentally tired and I was motivated, so I was able to focus on training and build up my body. I was able to play tennis well in both Japan and the US for about three weeks. I didn't change my tennis, but I was practicing while being conscious of not losing the good feeling I had at the end of the year.
--What goals do you have for this season?
If I can improve my play a little more, I think I'll be pretty good. I'm still good enough now, about 80%. I still lack confidence during matches and my confidence drops, so I want to get rid of that. If I can win a (tour) tournament and improve my ranking to 50th or 30th, I think I'll be in a different world. I think I'll be able to play more aggressively mentally. ◇Naomi Osaka
--Please tell us about your enthusiasm.
It's been a while since I last played at the Australian Open, so I'm trying not to be nervous. First of all, the first round. I hope to play as aggressively as I did in Hong Kong and give it my all.
--What does the Australian Open mean to you, Osaka?
The Australian Open for me is a Sunshine Slam. I come here at the beginning of the year and it sets the mood for the year in a positive way. There's a good energy here because you can see that everyone loves sport.
--What kind of effect has there been since you had Mr. Moratoglou as your new coach?
I decided to work with him because, of course, he has a good reputation as a good coach. We had contact and I felt that I needed a change. I felt that he was a very good person and that he has the ability to bring out something in people, such as how to win. I think we work very well together and we haven't lost yet.
--You were the runner-up in the preliminary tournament in Auckland (ASB Classic). How do you feel now?
I'm feeling really good right now. The first tournament of the year was my best result so far. I'm very optimistic about how the year ahead will unfold, and of course this tournament. For me it was never a question of my level of tennis. I knew that level was always there. It was more a question of how to advance when the conditions aren't good or when I'm not playing the way I want to.
--Your first round opponent is C. Garcia. What is your impression of him?
I'm hoping for a good match. I think I'm a completely different player compared to the last time I played against her, so I'm confident in the match. But in tennis, you can't take anyone lightly, especially when you're as good as her and have the serve and ground strokes that she has. I'll do my best!
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At the Australian Open, Nishikori, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Taro Daniel will compete in the men's singles, while Osaka, Moeka Uchijima, and Nao Hibino will compete in the women's singles. WOWOW will broadcast the event live every day from January 12th to 26th (Sunday). WOWOW On Demand will broadcast live all courts and all matches.
