Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has admitted she has concerns over "general safety" regarding the hosting of the Tokyo Olympic Games, but insisted she is committed to competing for the host nation. Organisers are still adamant the Olympics can be held safely even if the coronavirus is not under control by the time the flame is lit on July 23. Osaka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, said she is worried by a recent poll that found 80 per cent of the Japanese public were opposed to Tokyo hosting the event this year because of the pandemic. Large parts of Japan are currently under a state of emergency to tackle a spike in coronavirus cases, with borders closed to almost all foreigners. "My concern would be the general safety of everyone else because you're opening the country," Osaka said. "Everyone is flying in from different places. I would just want the public to feel safe." Osaka, 23, has been one of the poster athletes of the 2020 Olympics and still hopes to represent Japan at her home Games. "I will stay in my room for two weeks to play the Olympics," said Osaka, who lives in Florida. "I missed out on the last one. Playing in Tokyo would be very special to me." World No 9 Petra Kvitova, who won bronze in the women's singles in Rio de Janeiro, described the Olympics as a "fifth Grand Slam". "I hope that the Olympics really will happen, for sure," she told reporters on Sunday. "For me, the Olympic Games is very important." Second-ranked Simona Halep, who competed at the 2012 London Games but skipped Rio in 2016 due to concerns over the Zika virus, said vying for her first Olympic medal was her top priority this year. "The main goal is a medal at the Olympics, to go there and be able to compete at the highest level," she told the WTA website.
