Naomi Osaka "Not Sure" Tokyo Olympics Should Be Held From 23 July Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

Naomi Osaka on Tokyo Olympics: Tennis star Osaka said she was skeptical about conducting the Tokyo Olympics amidst a surge of coronavirus cases in the city. The 23-year-old Japanese player said she is "not really sure" the delayed Tokyo Olympics should be held as planned from 23 July.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, told the BBC  "to be honest, I'm not really sure" if the Games are really what the people look forward to this year since a state of emergency in the Japanese capital, and other parts of the country including Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo, was extended only last week. Osaka added that the city is still battling virus-related cases less than three months before the start of the quadrennial event. Organisers too have been weighing in whether to press pause or go ahead in the face of mounting pressure to cancel the global spectacle.

The Tokyo Olympics was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament is now slated be held from July 23 to August 8. More than 10,000 athletes from 200 countries and regions are set to travel to Tokyo for the Games.

When asked if she thinks it was correct to host the tournament in the middle of a global pandemic, the reigning US and Australian women's champion said at the Rome WTA tournament, "I'm an athlete, and of course my immediate thought is that I want to play in the Olympics". However, Osaka went on to add that if people aren't healthy, not feeling safe due to the pandemic, then it's definitely "a really big cause for concern."

Osaka has two US Open titles (2018, 2020) and two Australian Open trophies (2019, 2021). The Japanese national has won a total of six titles in her career.

Osaka won the first Grand Slam title of 2021 in February when she beat USA’s Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final on February 20. She then took a break from the competition briefly following her Miami Open exit. She has played five tournaments since tennis returned to the circuit after a pause due to the pandemic. She recently lost in the second round of the Madrid Open.

However, she started her training for the Games right after her loss. The 23-year-old says she will feel sad if the Olympics goes ahead without fans but she is still prepping to participate in her debut tournament. She is currently gearing up for the Mutua Madrid Open 2021.

Picture credit: aljazeera.com