Kamiji and Kunieda ace opening Tokyo 2020 assignments
For the wheelchair tennis stars of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Saturday marked a return to the day job. Shingo Kunieda and Yui Kamiji made light work of their first singles opponents at Ariake Tennis Park, dropping just two games combined over the course of two hours.
Kamiji, who was one of three Japanese athletes selected to light the Paralympic Cauldron on Tuesday night, was in scintillating form against world No. 17 Maria Florencia Moreno, surging past her Argentine opponent 6-0 6-1 in just 46 minutes.
“As the first Japanese to play today, I hope my win has started a good momentum,” said the world No. 2, who admitted to feeling a little nervous, and keen to maintain Japan’s 100% winning start at Ariake Tennis Park.
"Moreno is a tough player who will continue to get better, and this was a match that I had looked forward to. I was expecting the first set to be a little more like a see-saw game with lots of rallies. But I think my serves and strokes were good, and I was able to rack up points with good tempo. In the second set, I tried to engage in more rallies and create more movement.”
“I wouldn’t say I felt pressure, but I did feel some nervousness,” added Kamiji, who claimed women’s singles bronze at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. “I was also playing right before Shingo Kunieda on the Centre Court, so I wanted to connect the winning momentum to him as well.”
Kunieda picked up exactly where Kamiji had left off, notching the sixth successive victory for Japan’s wheelchair tennis players following four wins on Day 1.
The world No. 1 and three-time Paralympic gold medallist made light work of Slovakia’s Marek Gergely by an identical 6-0 6-1 scoreline, the duo sharing a joke and a laugh at the net and later in the mixed zone after the match.
“Staying relaxed is key, because there is a lot of pressure to win,” Kunieda said. “I want to keep myself relaxed and hope to show everyone my tennis.
“It was the first match, which is always tight. The first two games I was a little bit tight in my body, and it was the first time I’ve met him, so I didn’t know how he played. But from the third game it got better, and I could play my tennis.”
Four days on from her starring role at the Opening Ceremont, 27-year-old Kamiji said she was back in competition trim and fully focused once more on her quest for Paralympic gold.
"It was a great honour to be the torchbearer – it was such a precious experience," she said. "But as a tennis player, while it was a great moment for me, I have reset myself to be in playing mode."
One match down, and four to go. Playing in a 32-strong women's singles draw is a different experience for most of the players, and quite some contrast to the eight-player singles draws at the Grand Slam, where a top-ranked opponent awaits in the first round.
"I think it’s very distinctive for the Paralympic Games," Kamiji said. "For me, I tend to keep my focus by playing many, many matches, so it works out great for me."
For 37-year-old Tokyo native Kunieda, who delivered the athletes’ Paralympic Oath in the Opening Ceremony, these are a Games without compare, even if the build-up to Tokyo 2020 has been bittersweet.
“A Paralympic Games at home, it is special for me. I had hoped there would be spectators here, but it is a tough situation in Japan – I understand and accept that. I can play today, and for that I am very thankful to the organisers and the Japanese people.”