Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka hopes to inspire younger generations and make her home country proud by winning an Olympic gold medal.
Going for gold: The 23-year-old athlete, who will represent Japan during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, told Business Insider that such a feat would mean the world to her.
- “To be able to win a gold on my country’s soil, knowing the youngest generation is watching — it makes me emotional to know I have the opportunity to make an entire generation inspired and an entire country proud,” Osaka said.
- Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka gave up her U.S. citizenship in 2019 to represent Japan in the Olympics.
- This year’s tennis matches will be played on hard courts, where Osaka has won all four of her major titles, according to Forbes.
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Free from the press: Osaka expressed her excitement to represent Japan during the Tokyo Olympics after skipping major tournaments — including the Wimbledon championships — to spend time with loved ones, NextShark previously reported.
- Osaka withdrew from the French Open earlier this year after being fined for refusing to attend press conferences.
- She cited her struggles with depression as her reason for backing out.
- The Japanese Olympic Committee confirmed on Friday that athletes will not be penalized for refusing to attend press conferences.
Originally scheduled for 2020, the games were pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be held this year from July 23 to Aug. 8.
Featured Image via Australian Open TV
