The Australian Open Tennis wheelchair division will begin on January 21st in Melbourne, Australia. Tokito Oda, who will compete in the men's singles, will face A. Parker (Australia) in an attempt to win back-to-back titles. Yui Kamiji, who was the runner-up last year, will face Azusa Funamizu in the first round in an attempt to win the title. We spoke to Oda and Kamiji about their enthusiasm for the tournament and their aspirations for this season.
◇Kaito Oda
--Oda-san, you have a desire to spread and change wheelchair tennis all over the world, and I think you have definitely seen changes in Japan as well. What do you think?
I think there is still a long way to go. Things have changed, but I think we can change even more. I feel like we have changed a lot, but it feels like the first wave has just arrived. A big wave came at the Paralympics, and I would like to make a big wave at some point this year. It's not about leaving the waves to someone else, but about making them yourself. The men's team has a lot of momentum, but my motivation right now is to take the lead and try new things to win.
--When you were young, you said, "I have a different feel than other people," and you showed us new tennis styles, hitting the net one after another, but the people around you have also been changing. What do you think?
I felt that (change) in the last match of the year and in last week's preliminary match (Melbourne Wheelchair Open). Everyone is coming forward, so I think the men's team has especially changed. It seems like "coming forward and hitting with a return" is becoming the mainstream, but I think I'm still faster in terms of quality. From now on, the ball will be taken with a return, so I think the speed and spin of the serve will increase. With one change, the serve will change, and coming forward means more players will pass, so I feel like the gears are turning well, so I'd like to compete.
--How far would you like to evolve your wheelchair tennis service?
I want to reach a speed of 200km. I think I can do it. At the moment, I'm just over 170km, which isn't my peak, so I feel like I can reach that level when I reach my peak. Rather than working hard to reach 200km, I'd like to reach 200km as part of my evolution. I want to leave my mark.
--You said that you used to serve with the image of a penalty kick in soccer in mind, but has your serve changed since then?
Recently, I learned to hide the type of serve I use. Rather than hiding it, I felt like I was putting my hand out early on, so I've gotten used to saving it for a more important time. I'm trying to use this serve in the second set of a match. I'm learning little by little to fight throughout the game, rather than trying to win one point.
--Where do you want to go next?
From this year onwards, I want to become a person who expresses himself. I want to convey who I am as I am, and I want people to know me. I have never won the US Open, so I want to win this year, but I don't have any big goals. I think it's good not to have goals, so I want to do what I want to do now and enjoy seeing what happens in two or three years. This year, I want to go as far as I can without setting any limits on my serve speed or my own fame, and see how far I can go. I want to express the person called "Oda Kaito" that cannot be expressed only on the court.
--Are you having fun playing?
I enjoy every day. For me, the Paralympics were the dividing line, so I've reached a point where I can finally take a break. I felt more pressure before the Paralympics, but now I feel like I can take on new challenges.
◇ Yui Kamiji
--Last year must have been a big one for you, but did it cause any changes in your life?
Even after returning to Japan, I had the opportunity to share my joy with many people, I was invited to various places and had many different experiences, and I was able to spend a very fulfilling time.
--With the new season starting, what motivates you?
When I was interviewed in the media booth after the Paralympics final, I had time to reflect on the match, as is my usual routine. I had a lot of ideas, such as "I should have done this at that time," or "If I had taken the points like this, I might have been more advantageous after that," and I would like to pursue each of them one by one. Of course, the results are important, but this is also a Grand Slam that marks the start of the 2025 season, so I would like to do my best in this tournament, but I would also like to focus on improving my performance.
--Your tennis has evolved in many ways, but what are the things you plan to change in order to reach even greater heights?
Women's tennis is also becoming more powerful, and there are players who are using their serve to take the lead in points. I lost to a Chinese player (Li Xiaohui) in the final of last week's preliminary match (Melbourne Wheelchair Open), but I feel that she has changed her wheelchair since the Paris Paralympics and is now serving more powerfully. I have also been making some adjustments to my wheelchair. I think I was able to set up the best possible setting for clay courts at last year's Paris Paralympics, but looking back on my season on hard courts such as the Australian Open, I don't think I was able to set up the setting that would definitely win me. I would like to continue to make adjustments in many areas, while also improving the accuracy of my shots through trial and error.
--At the Paris Paralympics, Uechi won gold medals in both singles and doubles, and Oda also won a gold medal. Do you feel that awareness of wheelchair tennis has increased?
Despite the time difference, so many people came to watch the Paralympics, and even after I returned home, the number of people who spoke to me increased dramatically. The number of people who support me is increasing, so I would like to perform in a way that makes people want to see me in the future, rather than just watching once or twice.
--There will be no rivals in this tournament, so please tell us your enthusiasm.
It's unfortunate, but Dida (D. DeGroot) had surgery about a month after the end of the Paris Paralympics, and I think she is now spending her time recovering. Even without her there are plenty of strong players, and with the first Grand Slam (wheelchair tennis) qualifying rounds starting this year, some players are working hard to compete on this stage. They are the ones coming up against me, so I want to do my best to live up to them and improve my own performance.
WOWOW will be broadcasting live matches every day of the Australian Open until January 26th, and WOWOW On Demand will be live streaming every match on every court. For wheelchair tennis, WOWOW On Demand will be live streaming every match on every court from January 21st to 26th.
