ROLAND GARROS

June 10, 2023

Tokito Oda

Press Conference

T. ODA/A. Hewett

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Tokito. First Grand Slam. I think, if I'm not mistaken, you're the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam. How are you feeling right now?

TOKITO ODA: I mean, you know, now is really happy to get this win. I didn't think about the youngest for the final.

Before the match I was focused for just only that match, just on the one match for against Alfie. I didn't thinking this is the final, if I won, this is gonna be the youngest player over the No. 1. I didn't thinking like that.

But if I won the last points, I was thinking, like, I mean, everything that I had for the experience was going to my heart, so I feeling the happiest day of my career.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Tokito, congratulations. A very different match against Alfie to the Australian Open final you played only a few months ago. What did you do to change the scoreline around?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, I didn't changing anything for the match, actually. He playing really well. For today as well. But more than the Australian Open.

I was thinking his short cross and his strong shots. He's putting the pressure for more than the last game, so I was thinking like more faster, more faster than he want to do. I just do any cross shot and dropshot, the return more than Alfie.

So I was not changing for like big things but just only one thing for just more faster than Alfie for the hitting the shots, hitting the ball, and hitting for the courts. I was think like that.

Q. You said earlier in the week to win your first Grand Slam title would be a dream come true. How does the dream come true feel now?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, I actually, my two dreams was on today. I was really happy to get the two dreams on the one day (smiling). For the youngest player in the No. 1 in world and win a Grand Slam title; so two dreams come true today.

I just feeling, as I say, the happiest day of the life.

Q. You got the crowd behind you today, as well, didn't you? When you were ahead, you were getting them noisier and noisier. Does that help you as a player?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, I always telling for me and asking for me like, I can do it, we can do it. I always asking for like, can I get these points for me? I always say no. No, no, no. I always say, I think I can't get this point. I always thinking, no, I need this point, I need this point.

I was always thinking like that. I always never give up from if even if I Love-5, Love-40, I always thinking about the next points.

That's makes me won, I think.

Q. Congratulations. Can you tell me about the experience of playing on Philippe Chatrier? How did that feel today?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, it was first time to me on the Philippe Chatrier. I feeling like I want to play more times for the future in there. When I playing like in the match, so many people was crowd. Somebody say, Come on, Tokito, and somebody say, Allez, Tokito. I was really happy to hearing like that word.

There is only the power of the crowd only that court. So I really enjoy like a big stadium, and I really hope to more match, not only for me, for the wheelchair, for the wheelchair tennis, for more and more times. So not everywhere you can play like on that big stadium, so I hope to everybody can play that stadium.

Q. How will you celebrate the two dreams?

TOKITO ODA: Umm. How... (Smiling.)

I don't know how say, but yeah, I mean, that dream since when I started playing tennis, I say that these days -- when I didn't starting play tennis, when I hospital, I watching a lot of match, I didn't start the wheelchair tennis, but I really looking forward of this stage.

So it's been seven years, I think. I don't know how say that feeling, but I really hope to making next time and next time, for the next year as well. This year we have more, two Grand Slam for the London and New York, so I really looking forward it.

Q. Tokito, congratulations. Shingo Kunieda retired in January and now already Japan has another Grand Slam men's wheelchair champion. How much of an inspiration has Shingo been in your career?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, he's like legend for me, not only for me, for everybody, not for wheelchair tennis, for tennis as well. I'm one of the fan of him, one of the big fan of him. So I really sad to he's gonna retirement when I heard it.

But now, making the other history after his retirement, so I have little pleasure for me, but I will enjoy that pleasure, and I would enjoy to play with myself and I always believe myself. Yeah, I'm dedicating [ph.] this win for him.

Q. Did you hear from Shingo? Has he called you or texted you this week?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, I didn't get something this week, but he's, how you say, he's talking about this match in Japan. My feeling is a little bit different from, as a player, but he's now commentator for this match. Yeah, I mean, I really glad he's talking about this match. Yeah, I want to, as I say, I want to dedicating [ph.] this win for him.