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Men’s and women’s singles champions Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiontek weren’t the only people making headlines at this year’s French Open. So does Kaito Oda (17) from Japan. Oda beat Britain’s Alfie Hewett 2-0 to win the men’s singles wheelchair final at the French Open on the 10th. At the age of 17 years and 33 days, he broke the record for the youngest ever winner of the wheelchair category singles at each major tournament.
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Men’s and women’s singles champions Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiontek weren’t the only people making headlines at this year’s French Open. So does Kaito Oda (17) from Japan. Oda beat Britain’s Alfie Hewett 2-0 to win the men’s singles wheelchair final at the French Open on the 10th. At the age of 17 years and 33 days, he broke the record for the youngest ever winner of the wheelchair category singles at each major tournament. The world ranking also rose from 2nd to 1st. Seven years after picking up the racquet, he became the best in the world. Oda said, “I was able to fulfill my two dreams (of winning a Grand Slam title and becoming the youngest player in the world rankings) in one day. It was the happiest day of my life.”
Oda originally dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, but was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was nine years old. His left hip was replaced with a prosthesis, and part of his femur was also removed. As a result, he had to give up soccer because it was not easy for him to run or even walk. Instead, he took up wheelchair tennis at the age of 10 as a rehabilitation method recommended by his doctor. Oda said he had hopes when he saw Shingo Kunieda (39), the greatest wheelchair tennis player ever produced by Japan. Kunieda, who retired in January of this year, has won 50 major wheelchair tennis championships (28 singles and 22 doubles), four gold medals (including one doubles) and two bronze medals at the Paralympic Games. He’s a legend in the world. But even Kunieda won his first major singles title at the age of 23.
Oda usually said, “There must be teenagers like me who suffer from osteosarcoma. I want to grow up to become a dream giver instead of a dreamer.” Oda’s body has not yet completely escaped the disease. Twice, she said, her cancer cells had spread to her lungs, even though she had surgery and treatment for osteosarcoma. She has to have a check-up every four months. Even under these circumstances, Oda continues to pursue wheelchair tennis. She tries to reach her goals because she believes that she is the test and challenge that God has given her. At the post-winning press conference, Oda said, “I used to think negatively about my illness. But when I play wheelchair tennis, I stop thinking like that. I think,’ he said. Oda was instrumental in helping Japan host the first International Tennis Federation-sanctioned junior wheelchair tournament in August. She is said to have proposed to the League of Nations to establish a new tournament in order to promote the sport of wheelchair tennis to children battling illness in Japan. Oda said, “I believe that a player is a player if he not only participates in (my own) competition but also participates in various (external) activities.”
Reporter Sung Jin Hyuk
Chosun Ilbo / Chosun Ilbo Japanese version
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