For Tokito Oda, Paris holds a special place in his heart. He was named after the Arc de Triomphe, an iconic monument in the heart of the city, and he won two of his four Grand Slam titles in wheelchair tennis at the French Open.
The 18-year-old believes it is fate that he will make his Paralympic debut in Paris.
“It’s a special place for me and there’s no guarantee that there will be another Paralympic Games in Paris as long as I’m alive. I played with the mindset that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in Paris,” he said.
Ahead of the wheelchair tennis singles tournament, Oda posted a photo on Instagram of himself making a wish in front of the Arc de Triomphe, captioning it “Dreamer.” On September 1, he advanced to the third round of the men’s singles tournament, defeating Briton Ben Bartram in straight sets.
“It’s special for me to be back at Roland Garros because I haven’t lost a match in the last two years (at the French Open). I want to do it again,” he said.
“I think these Games will be a turning point in my life. The Games will be an opportunity for me to radically change my life. I don’t know how, but I’m sure.”
Impossible? That’s nothing
But in reality, the Paralympic Games had already changed his life – radically.
Diagnosed with bone cancer at age nine, he underwent treatment and surgery. While in hospital, he watched a video of wheelchair tennis legend Shingo Kunieda playing in the men’s singles final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
“When I was young I played football and when I was six I started using a wheelchair. It was a really big deal when I was a kid, but I saw Paralympic sport and then I had a dream. It was really important to me, to my life.”
“When I was in the hospital, I watched a few sports — wheelchair tennis, basketball, and something else. I chose wheelchair tennis because we have Shingo Kunieda from the same country,” Oda said. “I watched a video of him playing, and I decided to play wheelchair tennis.”
Since taking up the sport, the teenager has achieved far more than most of his peers. At 14, Oda became the youngest ever number one boy in junior wheelchair racing.
Three years later, he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. He then became the youngest athlete to become world number one in wheelchair tennis singles. With three consecutive Grand Slam titles, he is now a household name in Japan.
“I really like playing wheelchair tennis, using a chair and a racket. Usually (in tennis) we only have rackets standing up. Playing a sport in a wheelchair is really hard, but it’s also really fun,” Oda said. “That’s the most important thing for me.”
Happy place
Oda, who has been hailed by the media as Kunieda’s successor, says his biggest challenge since taking up wheelchair tennis is “these Paralympic Games”.
But he has been his own “biggest supporter” throughout and knows Paris is his happy place. He won this year’s French Open without dropping a single set on the iconic red clay courts.
“I’m very lucky here. My name is Tokito and my kanji (Japanese character) comes from the Arc de Triomphe. So I have inspiration from Paris. This time it’s something special for me.”
“I think my biggest supporter is myself, because I made the decision about everything myself. My parents support me too, but I chose almost everything – to play in this sport and where to go. I chose everything myself and I think it’s very important to live your own life.”
For children
Just as Kunieda was his role model when he was starting out in para sports, Oda hopes more kids will be able to learn about the sport and have the opportunity to play in tournaments, which is why he helped organize the junior wheelchair tennis draw at an international tournament in his hometown.
“For the kids who have started playing wheelchair tennis, I want to tell them what I have experienced on the international stage. And for those who haven’t started yet, I want to open the door for them to get interested.
“For me, the Paralympic Games are one of the biggest chances to change my life and the lives of other people who watch me play. I hope they start playing tennis and wheelchair tennis,” Oda said.
“I want to show my tennis to many people.”
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