The third Grand Slam tournament of the 2026 season, Wimbledon, will begin on June 29th. WOWOW will broadcast the main draw live every day, following the qualifying rounds. Just before the start of the tournament, four players—Masaru Shimabukuro and Shintaro Mochizuki competing in the men's singles, and Naomi Osaka and Aoi Ito competing in the women's singles—gave interviews.
◇Highlights of the men's and women's singles matches
Shimabukuro, who achieved her first-ever tour quarterfinal appearance at the Boss Open (Stuttgart, Germany, ATP250), which begins on June 8th, by coming from behind to defeat former world No. 13 Kyrgios, will face Jaime Faria (Portugal) in her first match. Mochizuki, who advanced through the qualifiers, will face Max Basing (Great Britain). Osaka, whose best performance in the past has been reaching the third round three times, will face Elsa Jacquemo (France). Ito, who will be making her second consecutive main draw appearance, will face Danaya Yastremska (Ukraine). Mochizuki, Osaka, and Ito will play on the 29th, while Shimabukuro will play from the 30th onwards.
In the men's competition, the question is whether world number one Jannik Sinner (Italy), who won Wimbledon last year, will achieve a consecutive victory, or whether Alexander Zverev (Germany), who achieved his long-awaited first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June, will win two Grand Slam tournaments in a row. All eyes will also be on 39-year-old Novak Djokovic (Serbia), who has won the title seven times in the past.
In the women's competition, will Iga Świątek (Poland), ranked third in the world and who achieved a dominant victory in last year's final, once again demonstrate her regal style? Meanwhile, world number one and last year's US Open champion, Alyna Sabalenka (Belarus), and world number two and this year's Australian Open winner, Elena Lubakina (Kazakhstan), will be vying for the throne.
◇ Masaru Shimabukuro
--How do you feel right now?
It was three years ago that I first participated in the main tournament, but I feel different now. Last time, it was my first time and I didn't know anything, but I was filled with excitement. This time, of course I'm looking forward to it, but in terms of being here to win, it's very different from last time.
--What do you think are the reasons for your strong performance this season?
I think I've finally gained confidence in my tennis. My play up until last year wasn't bad, but I went through a period where I couldn't win. It was because I overcame those tough times last year and the year before that I was able to gain confidence in my tennis. Also, my serve has become my greatest weapon, and being able to compete against top-class players like Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton has boosted my confidence.
--What did you consciously focus on in preparation for the turf season?
I haven't changed anything in particular, but I've been trying to increase my net play. I wasn't originally good at net play, but I've increased my practice of it this season. I've been able to use it in actual matches, and my point-winning percentage from net play has been high, so it's given me confidence.
--How is training with Coach Satoshi Iwabuchi?
He's not pushy in a good way, and he's a calm person. He always treats me the same way, no matter if I'm nervous or in a low mood, which I really appreciate. I feel like we communicate very well.
--What are your impressions of Faria, your opponent in the first round?
I think Faria is a very tough and skilled player. She beat (Sakamoto) Rei in the qualifying final, and her forehand is dynamic and her serve is excellent, so I think the return game will be key. Of course, I also need to play my own service games well, but the important thing is how I can put pressure on Faria, who has a good serve, and how well I can incorporate my own style of play, such as net play. It's a long match as it's five sets, but I want to fight with all my heart from the start.
--Please share your thoughts and aspirations with your fans.
This year, I want to show you a different side of Sho Shimabukuro, so I'll do my best from the very first point of the first round. I appreciate your support.
◇Shintaro Mochizuki
--How do you feel now that you've made it through the qualifiers?
It feels good to be back (at the main tournament venue). My first match is about to start, so I want to prepare as best I can. This is a place full of memories for me, so I'm happy to be back.
--What are your impressions of Basing, your opponent in the first round?
To be honest, I don't know much about this player. I don't have any impression of him playing tennis yet, but he's a local player, so I think there will be a bit of an away atmosphere. I don't dislike the away atmosphere, so I want to focus on what I need to do. I want to play while thinking about what I need to do to win. Especially since the grass season started, I've been focusing on what I need to do without worrying too much about my opponent, so I want to continue doing that and give it my all. Even in the Wimbledon qualifiers, I went into the match without gathering any information about my opponent.
--Please share your thoughts and aspirations with your fans.
To all our fans in Japan, thank you so much as always. WOWOW will be broadcasting the main draw of Wimbledon again this year. It's at a convenient time, so we'd be happy if you could watch and cheer us on while having dinner or a beer. Anyway, we'll do our absolute best, so please cheer us on.
◇Naomi Osaka
-- Are your legs okay?
It's certainly not an ideal situation. But I'm going to try it. I'll see what happens.
--What's the reason you're doing so well on grass, a surface you weren't particularly good at?
To be honest, I don't really know. I did a lot of hard court training with Thomas (my coach, Tomasz Biktrowski). And we did a lot of drills called junk drills. What he taught me was to move forward even on irregular bounces. That worked really well on grass courts too, and I think it worked because I hadn't done that kind of training before.
--You're working with Robbie (Ohashi), what kind of training do you do together?
Robbie is kind and a really good person. He's such a good person that he brings a lot to the team and takes care of everyone, so we all love him.
He understands how I'm feeling, and we've talked a lot about what areas I need to improve. I think we're getting along really well because I think my performance during the grass season was very good.
-- Are there any surprises regarding the clothing this time?
I'm sure they'll really like it. Wearing white is a tradition that sets it apart from other competitions, and I don't see it as a limitation for me. Rather, it opens up the interesting possibilities of what kind of story can be told with white attire.
--What are your impressions of Jakumo, your opponent in the first round?
I don't know much about her, but I've played against her on clay court before. I know she's young. Young players are always fearless and aggressive, so she'll probably hit a lot of good shots.
As for me, I intend to stay calm, enjoy the game, and continue to build upon my skills.
--Please share your thoughts and aspirations with your fans.
Hi everyone, this is Naomi. I'm currently at Wimbledon. Thank you for your continued support. I hope you all enjoy the matches.
◇Aoi Ito
--How do you feel now that you've returned to this venue where you made your Grand Slam main draw debut?
Since the qualifying rounds and the main tournament are held at different venues, I felt a great sense of superiority knowing I would be able to participate in the main tournament, which is why I chose to compete in this tournament. I regret it a little now because I'm not as good at playing on grass courts as I thought I would be (laughs).
I thought my tennis style was well-suited to grass courts, but hitting slices is quite difficult on grass. I'm good at hitting slices while moving forward, but there are so many small, irregular bounces that I'm experiencing a phenomenon where the ball doesn't even make contact with the racket.
My signature slice shot hasn't been going in very often lately, which is why I haven't been winning much during the grass season. But I think it'll be effective once I can make contact with it, so I'm hoping it will.
--How is your condition since returning from injury?
I spent most of my time off just lounging around, so my physical strength was quite low when I returned in March. Now my body is gradually getting back into shape, and I'm finally able to play a full match, so I feel both confident and not so confident at the same time (laughs).
The footwork on the grass is difficult, so if we can adjust to that, I think we have a chance to win.
--What are your impressions of Yastremska, your opponent in the first round?
To be honest, I don't know. I looked at my opponent's ranking and their face, and thought they looked strong. Of course, I adjust to my opponent during the match, but I don't really look at them before the match.
--Last year you said your motivation was the prize money, but what's your motivation this time?
The prize money is important, isn't it? (laughs) My goal for the first match is, "If I win once, I'll get 10 million yen in prize money." I think the odds are higher than winning the lottery.
--Please share your thoughts and aspirations with your fans.
Last year I lost in the first round, but this is my second time at Wimbledon, so maybe a miracle will happen and I'll be able to win. I'm determined to win the prize money and I'll do my absolute best so I have no regrets, so please cheer me on.
*...WOWOW will exclusively broadcast Wimbledon Tennis live every day from June 29 to July 12. The first round of men's and women's singles matches on the first day will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from 6:45 PM on June 29. The first round of men's and women's singles matches on the first day will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from 12:00 AM on June 30.
