Naomi Osaka eager to play in Tokyo Olympics

Apr 17, 2018 | News On Japan

Apr 17, 2018 (NHK) - Tennis player Naomi Osaka, now living in the United States, has expressed her willingness to play in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a member of the Japanese team.

The 20-year-old Osaka was born in her namesake city of Osaka, western Japan. Her father is Haitian and her mother is Japanese. She moved to the US when she was 3 years old.

Last month, she won a tennis tournament in California, rated second only to the Grand Slams, becoming the first Japanese female player to win such an event. The victory advanced her world ranking to a career-high 22nd.

In an interview with NHK in Tokyo on Monday, Osaka said she was nervous competing in her first high-level tournament, but that she is very happy to have won.

Osaka is scheduled to take part in an international team competition starting on Saturday in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan. She will play as a member of the Japanese team.

Osaka said she wanted to come to Japan because she likes playing in the country. She also said she would gain a different experience by representing Japan, adding that it is really cool to play on a team together.

Olympic Charter rules ban a player from competing for a different country or territory within 3 years after playing as a member of the team of a country or territory. The 2020 Tokyo Games come 2 years and 3 months after Osaka plays in the upcoming competition.

Osaka expressed her willingness to take part in the Tokyo Olympics as a member of Japan's team, saying that it's very significant for her, as her mother is proud of being Japanese.

Regarding her future, Osaka said she expects to enter the world's top 20, and also hopes to win major tournaments, including Grand Slams.

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