Former tennis world number one, Naomi Osaka, has confirmed that she will participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Currently ranked 125th globally, the 26-year-old received clearance from the International Tennis Federation to compete in Paris through a special ranking provided to players returning to the tour, as reported by the JTA.
Reacting to the development, Osaka stated that it has always been her childhood dream to play at the Olympic games.
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“I would love to play” in Paris, according to the media outlet.
“Growing up watching the Olympics on TV, I felt that it was a celebration of sport,” Osaka said. I thought it brought everyone together, and just to be able to be an athlete there and interact with other athletes is one of the funniest things that I’ve ever done.”
“And if I do play, I have high ambitions for myself, and I hope that I can do really well and get a medal,” she added. Osaka recently secured her first victory on grass since 2019 with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over fourth seed Elise Mertens at the Libema Open. Her last match on this surface was a first-round loss at Wimbledon in 2019.
“I’m kind of taking it as if this is my first year on grass,” Osaka said after defeating Mertens. “I think even now, this is my first time at this tournament, so in some ways I feel like a newbie all over again. I’ve been in Europe since April, so this is a lot of commitment for me. I’m really happy that I’m doing this.”
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