Wimbledon Championships Wheelchair Division to Open on July 7 (Tue); WOWOW Tennis Ambassador Kimiko Date Interviews Tokito Oda and Yui Kamiji!

The Wimbledon Championships, the third Grand Slam of the season, has entered its second half, and we are broadcasting it live every day from the qualifying rounds.

Ahead of the wheelchair division's opening, two players, Tokito Oda and Yui Kamiji, responded to a WOWOW interview. Oda, the defending champion, aims for consecutive victories. For Oda, who is aiming for a calendar Grand Slam, winning this tournament is a crucial piece after the Australian and French Opens. Kamiji, who was the runner-up last year, aims to achieve a career Grand Slam with a victory at this tournament.

In the first round of the wheelchair singles, Oda will face Gordon Reid (Great Britain), and Kamiji will face Diede de Groot (Netherlands).

Tokito Oda

Q. What is your theme for Wimbledon?

I always think about it, but especially on grass, it's often safer to attack than to defend. Due to our range of motion, grass courts are very difficult to move on. Compared to clay or hard courts, there are more areas we can't reach. Therefore, I focus more on attacking than defending, more so than on other surfaces. I think the direction and speed of the ball are more important than spin or slice.

Q. You are ranked No. 1 in the world and are in a position of being chased by others. What are the difficulties of staying at the top?

I don't feel like I'm being chased (laughs). I'm always challenging myself towards something. I feel that other players are constantly trying new things, so I play with the feeling of repelling them.

Q. Are you not looking at the immediate victory, Oda?

Yes. Achieving the calendar Grand Slam and whether I'll be satisfied is a different matter. Of course, I'm working hard towards the results, but I don't think that's the goal. In my mind, I feel that spectators will come to wheelchair tennis as a matter of course, and that the sport itself will be evaluated, not just because it's wheelchair tennis. I think the fact that we have places that showcase our strengths in such a good environment is the beauty of wheelchair tennis. I want to make the most of that.

Q. What does Wimbledon mean to you, Oda?

There's always a sense of tension. I always feel like I'm playing tennis in the mecca of the sport (laughs). When I step onto the court, I feel like I'm on a stage that many people aspire to. I feel this every time I participate, no matter how many times, so that's what makes it special.

Yui Kamiji

Q. How do you balance the desire to win with maintaining composure?

I feel it's really difficult every day. Since winning Paralympic medals in both singles and doubles in 2024, I've been experimenting with how to play while calming my mind and maintaining composure, rather than just pushing my desire to win.

Q. Are you conscious of your strength, "boldness," on grass courts as well?

I think I'm the type of player who gradually wears down the opponent in rallies to create a favorable situation. However, grass is difficult because the momentum can change with just one shot. Even when I lost in last year's final, I felt I was playing aggressively, but I think it still wasn't enough. For the past year, I've been focusing on things like driving the opponent out from the serve or return and using the court widely, in short, not letting the opponent take the initiative.

I'm also making different adjustments to my wheelchair setup compared to other surfaces. I still don't know what's best, but I want to do my best!

Q. You can achieve a career Grand Slam with a win at this tournament. What are your aspirations?

I just want to win it (laughs). Following Shingo Kunieda and Tokito Oda's victories last year, I want to continue as a fellow Japanese player. Purely, I want to know what the view is like after winning it. Of course, winning and being on the podium would be an honor and I'd be grateful, but the process to get there is also important to me. Things like what kind of efforts I've made, and who I've spent time with. I want to share the results obtained through this process with everyone involved.

Q. Recently, Chinese players have also been active. Is the level of women's wheelchair tennis rising?

Many players are not just avoiding mistakes but are also playing offensively. Looking at the footage from the warm-up tournaments, I think more players are using drop shots. I'm very happy that Asian players, including myself, can compete globally in the current environment.

Of course, everyone is a rival, but I'm truly grateful to be able to compete against various players in the same era.

Q. Looking ahead to your future career, are there any areas you want to strengthen?

There are still many things (laughs). I think it's a good thing that there are many plays I aim for, such as using the court widely. Also, I changed my racket model at the beginning of this year, so I want to be able to reproduce my playing style of firmly driving the opponent back without being overpowered.

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【Program Information】

"Wimbledon Championships"

Live broadcast every day from June 29 (Mon) to July 13 (Mon)!

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