Yui Kamiji lost to a Dutch player with a set count of 0-2 in the finals of the Tokyo Paralympics wheelchair tennis and women's singles.
Uechi won the silver medal in this event, surpassing the Rio de Janeiro Games last time.
"I hate to lose" is a silver medal
Uechi played a major role as the final runner of the torch relay at the opening ceremony. As I swore, "I want to do my best so that I'm glad I chose myself," under the pressure of holding my own country, I proudly advanced to the final and won the silver medal.
Uechi is 27 years old from Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture. I have had a spinal cord disorder since I was born, and I started wheelchair tennis at the age of 11. With a personality that he hates to lose, he made an outstanding appearance, and when he was in the third year of high school, he participated in the Paralympics for the first time at the London Games, and two years later he ran up to No. 1 in the world ranking.
He was the first Japanese female player to win a medal in wheelchair tennis at the Rio de Janeiro Games. However, I got a bronze medal.
"I still vividly remember my disappointing feelings even after five years."
Uechi, who hates to lose, was not satisfied. Instead of relying solely on the tenacious and defensive play style that we have been good at in order to reach the top of the Paralympics, we have continued trial and error to incorporate aggressive play that we actively set up ourselves.
I also learned to move back and forth on the court, which requires physical strength, and a drive volley that repels with no bounds, and increased the number of steady strength training to train the core.
Before the Tokyo tournament, Uechi said, "I wish I could play a match that I thought I was able to do my best and the result was a gold medal." The result didn't reach what I expected, but she showed me the last five years that she has accumulated, which she hates to lose, in the final of the Paralympics.