Grand Slam tennis champion, Naomi Oasaka recently responded to the decision to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 22-year-old posted on her Instagram Friday (March 27) that she supported the brave decision of Japan’s Prime Minister. 

“Everyone knows how much the Olympics mean to me and how proud I will be to participate in my home country,” she said after previously announcing that she would be representing Japan in the Olympics. “Of course I am disappointed that it won’t happen this year, but we’ll be ready to go stronger than ever in 2021.” 

Osaka made history during the 2018 US Open finals when she defeated Serena Williams, becoming the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title and would have made her 2020 Olympics debut in Japan. 

“This is the time for people from all countries, backgrounds and races to rally together to save as many lives as we can. To me, that is the Olympic spirit,” the athlete continued. “To the people of Japan: stay strong, hang in there, and let’s show the world our beautiful country when the time is right in 2021.”

CNN announced on Monday (March 30) that the International Olympic Committee confirmed that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are set to open on July 23, 2021.