BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Naomi Osaka of Japan has targeted gold medal on home soil with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approaching within a year.
"I do think about winning gold and it would mean a lot if I was able to achieve that and win a gold medal because you dream of such moments," the former world No. 1 said in an interview with the International Tennis Federation.
"Winning gold would be the biggest thing I would have achieved in my career, although in some ways that is simply because of timing. I contest Grand Slams every year but an Olympic Games is only once every four years so there are not many opportunities to become an Olympic champion.
"Everyone who competes at the Olympics wants to be an Olympic champion, so that would be my aim," Osaka said.
Osaka became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title at the US Open in 2018 and the first Asian world No. 1 after winning the Australia Open at the beginning of this year.
The young talent debuted for Japan in 2017 in the Fed Cup and helped her team earn the chance to get promoted to World Group II in the 2018 edition with a stellar 5-1 record for Japan.
"Representing Japan at an Olympic Games and winning gold for Japan would mean so much," said the 21-year-old. "Technically, I represent Japan at every tournament but I do think the Olympics is going to be different and will be a very big memory for me."
"Winning gold in Tokyo is something that I have dreamed about," she said.
