Osaka: One Requirement to Play Mixed with Nishikori
<![CDATA[World No. 1 on what it will take for her to play mixed doubles at Tokyo Olympics.]]>
NEW YORK—Naomi Osaka would love to partner Kei Nishikori in a Japanese mixed doubles dream team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.There’s just one requirement.Watch: Has Injury Bug Bitten Djokovic Again?The world No. 1 said she’d need to “practice doubles for the first time in my life” because the prospect of losing alongside Nishikori would reduce her to tears.“Anyone that knows my doubles track record knows that I'm down,” Osaka told the media after her 6-2, 6-4, sweep of Magda Linette that stretched her US Open win streak to nine matches. “So the thing is I would play. Like, I would definitely play with him. I would actually need to practice doubles for the first time in my life."Because you cannot play mixed doubles with Kei Nishikori and lose in the first round of the Olympics in Tokyo… I would cry. I would actually cry for losing a doubles match.“Yeah, definitely I think that that would be so, like, historic in a way. And I would love to do it, but I need to practice my doubles.”
Don’t let this distract you from the fact that we lost 4-0 lol 😂 pic.twitter.com/597t33i1tx
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) November 27, 2018
Prior to the start of this US Open, 2014 finalist Nishikori said he plans to play singles and doubles at the Tokyo Olympics and would talk to Osaka about the prospect of a mixed doubles pairing."I will play men's doubles, for sure,” Nishikori said last week. “With that condition—very hot, very humid—playing singles and two doubles, I don't know if I can."I haven't (had to) think too much yet honestly. I don't know. I will talk to Naomi later."Photo credit: @KeiNishikori]]>
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