AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2024

Tokito Oda

Press Conference

T. ODA/A. Hewett

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Tokito, congratulations on your victory today. Just talk us through the match and how you're feeling with that trophy now in your grasp following last year's result.

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, just really happy right now. I was runner-up last year, and then I play against Alfie also last year.

That time I think the score is not what I wanted, and then this time I play really well. I was reach ranking No. 1, and the first title of this tournament. So I'm really confident for this match from yesterday. I sleep well (smiling), so yeah, I just really happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations. You talked about last year's final. Alfie won in straight sets. 12 months on today, you won in straight sets quite comfortably. Can you talk about how you have developed as a player and what was different about today's final compared to 2023?

TOKITO ODA: Actually, I didn't change any my play style and anything, but I just grew up to the next level. He also playing well from since last year. This year is also really aggressive, and I try to be aggressive, but last year I didn't get many points with aggressive playing. But it's been one year I play and I practice aggressive play, and practicing the one thing, focus one thing to play aggressive and then go to the net, hit the smash, hit strong forehand. I just focus just go for the net one year.

So that's makes me to get this trophy, I think, and then... So I think that was difference between last year and this year.

Q. Who inspired you to play the way that you play? Do you have any inspirations or idols? Because you play wheelchair tennis in a very dynamic, powerful way. It seems different.

TOKITO ODA: My feeling is I'm not playing wheelchair tennis. I just playing tennis. That's difference from I think since a few years ago.

I really love to see the standing tennis, like the many great players is here Australia. Djoko has lost, but I love his playing, and Carlos. Everyone who has first dynamic play, I love to see those guys. So when I see them, I want to be like them, and I want to play like those guys. But I'm sitting in chair but doesn't matter for me if I'm sitting chair or not, I'm standing or not. So I just playing tennis on the chair.

My feeling is like this, so yeah. Yeah, feeling like this.

Q. When you think about your improvement or your progress, you now hold three of the four Grand Slam singles titles and you have been No. 1. At your age, can you believe how much success you have had so young in the sport?

TOKITO ODA: I don't feeling I'm young, because, you know, I just want to play these sports when I see the sports, and I just wanted to be winner and then I just want to win the match at the beginning when I started the tennis.

Right now, it's not changing any my feeling and my style, so I just have fun out there on the court and just go for win.

So one thing different is just stay, so I just playing (indiscernible) to Melbourne. So, I mean, that's one thing difference since when I started.

So I just want to win, so it doesn't matter what I need to do, like, young things or I need to do any focus for anything. I don't care about my age, so just win (smiling). Yeah.

Q. It's been a great day for Japanese tennis, obviously with Rei winning the junior singles title. Did you watch that match? Do you know him? What did you think about that and the fact you two have won titles on the same day?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, that's special, because I was getting warm-up at the gym. I saw his play that was 5-All or something. I see the score and that he's play. That was really I got power from him, definitely, but when they called me and Alfie, he just won the match.

So I feel like, Oh, I need to win this match, because same Japanese won the juniors title (smiling). So my feeling is so excited before the match.

Actually, we born same city and we met at these tournaments from last year, so it's really special to having the two titles with him, so the same age, same racquets, same city.

Yeah. I'm really happy to get title with him.