Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers made a sudden unexplained announcement to move Naomi Osaka‘s first-round match from Saturday to Sunday. It is assumed that the reason for rescheduling is the fact that the Japanese will have a significant role in Friday night’s opening ceremony, so the organizers delayed her opener to give her more time to rest.
The four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka was supposed to make her Olympic debut on center court at Ariake Tennis Park on Saturday morning. Even though the organizers did not immediately provide a reason for the delay, they did note that the switch came from the tournament referee. Since Osaka is the Tokyo Games poster girl, the change in schedule may suggest that she’ll be the one to light the Olympic cauldron in the opening ceremony, one of the highest honors in sport.
The upcoming first-round encounter with China’s world No.52 Zheng Saisai will be Osaka’s first tennis match in nearly two months. You can read more about Osaka’s draw at the Olympics here. (source: ESPN)
