Naomi Osaka aiming for Paris Olympics after helping Japan reach Billie Jean King Cup finals for the first time
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Published 13/04/2024 at 20:01 GMT
Plenty of players are starting to think about the Paris 2024 Olympics later this year, and Naomi Osaka is no exception. The Japanese star expressed her desire to play in Paris for her country after helping Japan to a historic win in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers - but it will not be all in her hands, with Osaka needing an exemption to take part at Paris 2024.
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Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka has the Olympics in her sights this summer, after she helped Japan reach the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time.
Osaka found some of her old form to beat Yulia Putintseva 6-2 7-6(5) on Friday, with Nao Hibino also winning for Japan. Hibino then won again on Saturday in the reverse singles to give Japan an unassailable 3-0 lead in the tie against Kazakhstan, with Osaka’s reverse singles match not played.
But while this weekend was all about the Billie Jean King Cup, it was clear that Osaka has plenty of other goals this year.
"Growing up watching the Olympics on TV, I felt that it was a celebration of sport," Osaka said, the four-time Grand Slam champion having already had the honour of playing at a home Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.
"If I do play, I have high ambitions of myself and I hope that I can do really well and get a medal."
Osaka will need to go through an appeals process to feature in Paris as she has not played twice in the Billie Jean King Cup in this Olympic cycle - which is mandatory to be eligible for selection.
But given she only returned from maternity leave in January, she has a reason to be allowed an exemption.
She was given the honour of lighting the Olympic flame in Tokyo, and went on to make the third round - losing to Marketa Vondrousova.
The Olympics this year will be played on the clay courts of Roland-Garros, a surface that Osaka does not always favour but one that suits Poland’s Iga Swiatek.
The current world No. 1 was in dominant form in Poland’s tie against Switzerland, winning both her singles matches in straight sets to ensure Poland will be in Seville for the Billie Jean King Cup finals along with Japan.
Swiatek beat Simona Waltert for the loss of just four games on Friday, before clinching the tie for Poland with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Celine Naef.
“I’m super happy and proud of everybody,” Swiatek said. “It’s been a really fun week so I’m happy that this time I could lead my team to be in the finals.
“Hopefully we’re going to finish it in November, but I’m super proud of what we achieved for these two days.”
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