ITF

odyssey started two years later when his mother introduced him to the sport. Much has changed since, but he nevertheless hopes the staging of the Paralympics in Japan will not only boost the profile of wheelchair tennis there but continue changing perceptions of disability and disabled people. "I hope the popularity of wheelchair tennis in Japan grows through the Paralympics and I want everybody to watch the high level of tennis which all the top players, not just me, can show," added Kunieda, a global brand ambassador for UNIQLO – title sponsor of the Wheelchair Tennis Tour and Wheelchair Doubles Masters "I want to show people that we can play well – much better than they expect – because in Japan some people look at us disabled people as weak and I want to change that. "I see my legacy as lots of kids playing wheelchair tennis. Even if they are forced to use a wheelchair, they are still able to grab a bright future for themselves. "The Paralympic Games and media coverage have helped with this. In Japan, I have seen many kids start to play wheelchair tennis, dreaming of being Kunieda. "More generally, I would like lots of ATP and WTA tournaments to co-host the wheelchair tennis events, like at the Grand Slams, so more tennis fans have a chance to watch. It would be a great opportunity to promote the sport." By being crowned men's singles champion at the US Open in September, Kunieda took his tally of Grand Slam titles to an astonishing 45 across both singles and doubles, surpassing the record previously held by the legendary Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands. A host of other accolades have been bestowed upon him during an illustrious playing career, although the Paralympics have arguably provided some of the more defining and indeed life-changing moments. Had it not been for the gold medal he won in the Greek capital back in 2004, all that he has achieved since might never have happened, while his success in Beijing also had wide-ranging consequences. "Prior to Athens, I was thinking I would retire after the tournament because playing on the Tour costs a lot of money and my parents bore the cost of that," he said. "But thanks to the gold medal in Athens, I could find a way to continue competing because Reitaku University hired me as a staff member and supported me financially, allowing me to play. "Finance was also a major repercussion of my gold medal in 2008. With this, I could turn professional and make a living through prize money and support from sponsors. "I didn't want it to be the case that I had gold medals and was the No. 1-ranked player in the world but was still struggling financially. In that regard, I am very happy with who I am now." Happy he may be, content he is not – not fully, anyway. Despite all he has achieved, which includes finishing as the year-end No. 1 on nine occasions, Kunieda's desire to progress and achieve still burns brightly, perhaps more powerfully than ever. "It's when you are winning that you actually lose sight of your goals," he added. "Losing allows you to notice what you lacked, so losing is extremely important. "It's sometimes harder to stay motivated when you are winning. I still believe I can improve and I want to challenge myself until the very end of my career." Adding the hurt he still feels from Rio to the defeat at February's Australian Open, which scuppered hopes of a Golden Slam, and the Games could well prove ominous for any pretenders to Kunieda's Paralympic narrative. n 4 5 6 ITF World Spring 2021 23 WHEELCHAIR

• Cover