AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 31, 2026

Tokito Oda

Press Conference

T. ODA/M. de la Puente

3-6, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Tokito. Huge congratulations on your win today. How do you feel? Talk us through the match and what was going through your head.

TOKITO ODA: Well, first, it was a long day. I think it was first time to play a different court in a day. So it was, yeah, feeling different than yesterday. It was first time in my career so far, so I was a little bit, like, confused to focus every point. You know, sometimes stop with the rain. Sometimes we take less, like, ten minutes. It was hard to focus for the matches.

But I make it, so it was very nice to play at the Margaret Court. So I just love the crowd.

Q. Who is the athlete that you looked up to the most growing up and now?

TOKITO ODA: Right now?

Q. Yeah. Well, growing up and right now. Could change.

TOKITO ODA: Maybe when I played soccer, really loved Neymar, because he changing hairstyle every matches, so I just love his style. And he's still playing. I was doing same hair like him, so yeah.

First time was maybe Neymar. But when I get a chance to play the wheelchair tennis, that time was maybe definitely, like, Shingo. I don't know how to say, but he was, like, my everything, because I stopped play soccer, and I was, like, nothing to do.

So at the moment I saw his matches and I feel like, Damn, this is what I want like. Maybe two big people.

I don't know right now, to be honest, yeah.

Q. You're on track to break a lot of records, on pace with already I think 41 singles titles, and I think eight Grand Slams. Do you think about winning the most Grand Slams ever? Do you think about those things? What is your biggest dream in your career?

TOKITO ODA: Yeah, I mean, maybe from when I started tennis, I don't think about, like, I want to get, like, Grand Slam title. I was dreaming of the Paralympic games, but it was different. I just want a battle since when I was kid. I just love to the battle with somebody, you know.

So I just make, like, big match for all the time. If I think, like, I want to get Grand Slam title one day, maybe I'm done already, because I have, like, I don't know, the eighth. So I feel like I just want to play, like, a battle. I just love to play in the serious moment. That's when I feel like I living.

So yeah, this is kinda like my dream to play the big match.

Q. You mentioned that Martin is your best friend on tour. Can you elaborate on why that is, why you guys get on so well, and why he's such a good friend?

TOKITO ODA: Maybe he's, how to say, the nearest to my age. Maybe he's 26, so he's, you know, always kind. He also speaks Japanese a little bit. It's a bad thing (laughter), but he's always -- he can talk anybody, like, all the time. He's so funny.

But we never been, like, playing final in the Grand Slam, so I just feel like when he won against Alfie, I was so surprised, but that time I think, like, I mean, that's going to be interesting with him. So, yeah, I just so pleasure to play with him.