Tokyo 2020 Summer Games stadium announcer Andy Taylor recaps Iga Swiatek’s determined Round-1 victory over Germany’s Mona Barthel. In Japan, the live narration includes two voices: Japanese announcer DJ Ketchup and English announcer Andy Taylor. Together, they cover the presentation on Center Court, while additional Japanese and English speaking announcers cover Courts 1 and 2 at Ariake Tennis Park.
It was all business for Iga Swiatek in her Olympic debut. The 2020 Roland Garros Champion broke early and shot ahead 5-0 in the first 26-minutes. Though it took two attempts to serve out the first set, Poland’s top talent was relentless in the second. Following a Barthel break after the first change-over, Swiatek barreled through the final four games to reach the 2nd-Round.
This was Mona’s second Summer Games. In Rio, she fell in the opening round to Urszula Radwanska. Clearly, representing her country on the global stage is important to the 31-year-old. She used a protected ranking of World #101 to qualify, and didn’t officially make the cut until several others withdrew – including teammate Angelique Kerber.
Second meeting, another Swiatek victory in her Olympic Games debut.
Iga Swiatek and Mona Barthel last met in the Quarterfinals of the Tennis Europe ITF event in Prague. Then, just 17-years-old and ranked outside the top-300, Swiatek upset the top-seeded Barthel to reach the Semifinals.
[6] Iga Swiatek -08- (POL) | Round 1 Announcer Introduction
Last year, at just 19-years-old, she captured her first Grand Slam Singles title at Roland Garros. This year, she’s won two more Singles titles and was a Doubles finalist at the French Open. Representing Poland, making her Olympic Games debut, Iga Swaitek.
- R1 — W — Mona Barthel -210- (GER) | Score: 6-2, 6-2
Mona Barthel -210- (GER) | Round 1 Announcer Introduction
At 31-years-old, she owns 4 WTA Singles title, has been ranked as high as World #23, and is competing in her second Olympic Games. Representing Germany, Mona Barthel.
- R1 — L — [6] Iga Swiatek -08- (POL) | Score: 2-6, 2-6
SUMMER GAMES | Women’s Singles Medalists
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Amid COVID concern, the Games go on
Postponed for a year due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games finally launched on Friday, 23 July 2021. After 18-months of lockdowns, desperately trying to contain COVID’s insidious spread, the world finally developed effective vaccines. Sadly, though, 4-million lost their lives, while over 193-million contracted the virus. And Tokyo’s case count was on the rise.
But thanks to science and nearly 2-years of experience, organizers understood that it was entirely possible to responsibly stage the Summer Games without creating a super-spreader event. No fans allowed. Tickets revoked. All international visitors barred from the country – unless competing or working.
From the athlete, to the volunteer, to the announcer — everyone involved with the Games exercised the procedures and protocols painstakingly learned through 18-months of uncertainty and despair. Quarantines. Life in bubbles. Regular hand-hygiene. Masks. Limited long-term indoor exposure to others. And of course, social distancing. But above all else: Most of the Tokyo 2020 team was vaccinated.
Come hell or high water, the Summer Games would go on.
Naomi Osaka ignites the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Cauldron
On a more positive note, one of the most distinguished honors in all of sport is to be asked by your nation to light the Olympic cauldron. Any American over 40 remembers the emotional moment in 1996 when Muhammed Ali courageously climbed the steps to light the flame in Atlanta. His body ravaged by Parkinson’s disease. That singular moment creates indelible memories.
This year, the Japanese Olympic Committee secretly bestowed the honor to 23-year-old Naomi Osaka. Originally scheduled to play the first match on Center Court Saturday morning, it was unusual on Friday to hear that her match had been moved to Sunday. Nothing further was said.
Then, at the conclusion of a subdued, yet deeply respectful opening ceremony and parade of nations – it was Naomi Osaka who climbed the steps and torched the flame that brightly burned over the Games of the 32nd Olympiad. Obviously, it was a humbling honor not lost on the 4-time Grand Slam Champion, who was making her Olympic debut.
Tennis was well represented during the parade of nations as Petra Kvitova (CZE), Jelena Ostapenko (LAT), and Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR) all served as flag-bearers.
Tennis at the Summer Games
While tennis was one of the premier sports featured during the Games’ initial revival, the sport has a contentious history with the Summer Games. It fell off the radar after 1924, mainly due to conflicts between the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the IOC. The two major obstacles:
- Allowing professionals to compete in a global showcase for amature athletics.
- Scheduling. With the Summer Games so close to the conclusion of the Wimbledon Championships, the ILTF and the IOC were in direct competition for tournament participation by the sport’s top-athletes.
After a 60 year absence, tennis and the IOC worked out their differences, and the sport returned as an official event during the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. Now under the guidance of the International Tennis Federation, professionals are allowed to represent their home nations.
