World No. 1 Tokito Oda won gold in the wheelchair tennis men's singles at his home Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games on Friday, becoming the first Japanese athlete to secure a 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic berth.
Oda, who had not dropped a game en route to the final, beat ninth-ranked Ji Zhenxu of China 6-2, 6-2 in Nagoya.
"I never dreamed I'd be able to win a gold medal here in Aichi, my home prefecture. And to have so many people come and watch made it the best experience possible," Oda said during his on-court interview.
The 20-year-old has been promoted as one of the faces of the Asian Para Games and delivered the athletes' oath at Sunday's opening ceremony.
A tearful Oda said he hoped his victory would send a message to children struggling with illness or other challenges.
"I believe everything can be changed, and it all depends on yourself," he said. "Today, I proved that to myself."
Oda was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, at age 9. Inspired by Japanese legend Shingo Kunieda, he took up wheelchair tennis a year later and turned professional at 15.
Speaking to reporters, Oda said the gold medal marked a major milestone in his 10-year wheelchair tennis career.
"I didn't expect today to become such a significant day in my life, but it did," he said.
Since claiming the French Open title in 2023 at age 17, he has amassed 10 Grand Slam titles.
Oda also bagged gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and last year won the U.S. Open to become the youngest player to complete a career Golden Slam comprising all four majors and Paralympic gold.
Looking ahead to the next Paralympics, Oda said, "I haven't reached the summit yet. I can still go much higher."
On Thursday, Oda teamed up with Daisuke Arai to win the title in the men's doubles, defeating a South Korean pair in the final.
Wheelchair tennis is played under the same rules as conventional tennis, with the exception that players are allowed up to two bounces of the ball.
