The opening ceremony begins with the stadium being lit and a couple of colourful performances. The most troubled Olympics in modern history finally open in Tokyo on Friday.

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Less than a thousand people attend opening ceremony

Going by current rankings, the first-round clash between Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and Britain's Andy Murray at the Tokyo&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;would seem like a mismatch.

The 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime is ranked 15th in the world and coming off a quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon while Murray has dropped out of the top-100 after struggling to overcome injuries over the last two years.

But when it comes to the&nbsp;Olympics, Murray is a different beast and the Canadian has a very clear idea about the challenge he will face against the Scot, who won singles gold in Rio and London.

"It's a big challenge. I wish it came a little bit further in the draw maybe, but that's how it is," Auger-Aliassime said after his practice session at the Ariake Tennis Park late on Thursday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-indian-team-enters-stadium-as-world-athletes-gather-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live: Indian team enters stadium as world athletes gather</a>

"Andy is a big champion of our sport, especially at the Games.

"I'm going to expect the best from him again this week and I'm going to also try to bring my best. It's going to be an exciting match, but hopefully I get through."

Auger-Aliassime won in straight sets at last year's U.S. Open against the 34-year-old Scot, who is still fighting his way back to fitness after a second hip surgery.

He said he has "clear memories" of watching at home when Murray won his second consecutive gold medal at Rio and feels that his biggest challenge will be to deal with Murray's mental strength.

"One of the big strengths is his resilience," Auger-Aliassime said of the three-times Grand Slam winner.

"You just know that it won't be over until the last point. He always can come back. He has shown great strength throughout his career, so he's never going to lose that.

"Even though in 2016, he finished number one. He was in his prime, probably. It's not a lie to say that he's a different player today. But he's still the same Andy, right?"

Some of the sport's biggest names, including Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, have skipped the Tokyo Games, which have been delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, the other member of tennis' so-called 'Big Three' who are all tied on 20 Grand Slams each, has travelled to Tokyo.

"Grand Slams are something huge for us that happen every year," said Auger-Aliassime.

"It's a shame that Andy Murray won the gold medal twice and I just feel like we forget that.

"We talk about the 'Big Three', the 20 Grand Slams that they all have now, and we talk about his gold medals every four years when the&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;come around."

Going by current rankings, the first-round clash between Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and Britain's Andy Murray at the Tokyo Olympics would seem like a mismatch.

Going by current rankings, the first-round clash between Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and Britain's Andy Murray at the Tokyo Olympics would seem like a mismatch. The 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime is ranked 15th in the world and coming off a quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon while Murray has dropped out of the top-100 after struggling to overcome injuries over the last two years. But when it comes to the Olympics, Murray is a different beast and the Canadian has a very clear idea about the challenge he will face against the Scot, who won singles gold in Rio and London. "It's a big challenge. I wish it came a little bit further in the draw maybe, but that's how it is," Auger-Aliassime said after his practice session at the Ariake Tennis Park late on Thursday. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live: Indian team enters stadium as world athletes gather "Andy is a big champion of our sport, especially at the Games. "I'm going to expect the best from him again this week and I'm going to also try to bring my best. It's going to be an exciting match, but hopefully I get through." Auger-Aliassime won in straight sets at last year's U.S. Open against the 34-year-old Scot, who is still fighting his way back to fitness after a second hip surgery. He said he has "clear memories" of watching at home when Murray won his second consecutive gold medal at Rio and feels that his biggest challenge will be to deal with Murray's mental strength. "One of the big strengths is his resilience," Auger-Aliassime said of the three-times Grand Slam winner. "You just know that it won't be over until the last point. He always can come back. He has shown great strength throughout his career, so he's never going to lose that. "Even though in 2016, he finished number one. He was in his prime, probably. It's not a lie to say that he's a different player today. But he's still the same Andy, right?" Some of the sport's biggest names, including Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, have skipped the Tokyo Games, which have been delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, the other member of tennis' so-called 'Big Three' who are all tied on 20 Grand Slams each, has travelled to Tokyo. "Grand Slams are something huge for us that happen every year," said Auger-Aliassime. "It's a shame that Andy Murray won the gold medal twice and I just feel like we forget that. "We talk about the 'Big Three', the 20 Grand Slams that they all have now, and we talk about his gold medals every four years when the Olympics come around."

Tokyo Olympics tennis: Felix Auger-Aliassime set for 'big challenge' against Andy Murray

Former European 400 metres hurdles champion Kariem&nbsp;Hussein&nbsp;is out of the Tokyo Olympics after the Swiss athlete was given a nine-month doping suspension, officials said on Friday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-indian-team-enters-stadium-as-world-athletes-gather-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live: Indian team enters stadium as world athletes gather</a>

The 32-year-old, a surprise winner of the European title on home soil in 2014 but not expected to be a medal prospect in Tokyo, tested positive for a banned stimulant earlier this month.

"At the request of anti-doping Switzerland, the Swiss Olympic Disciplinary Chamber has imposed a nine-month ban on athlete Kariem&nbsp;Hussein&nbsp;in a simplified procedure," the Swiss Olympic Committee said in a statement.

"The presence of the prohibited substances nikethamide and the metabolite N-ethylnicotinamide had been demonstrated to the athlete in the doping test. The suspension has been in effect since July 16, 2021, the beginning of the provisional suspension, and is effective for all sports and all functions in sports."

Hussein&nbsp;reacted to the news by tweeting: "My dream of the Olympic Games in Tokyo is over. I was banned for 9 months.

"One lozenge (Gly-Coramin) contained an illegal substance. I made a mistake with grave consequences. I'm so sorry. But if you know me, you know I'll keep going."

Former European 400 metres hurdles champion Kariem Hussein is out of the Tokyo Olympics after the Swiss athlete was given a nine-month doping suspension, officials said on Friday.

Former European 400 metres hurdles champion Kariem Hussein is out of the Tokyo Olympics after the Swiss athlete was given a nine-month doping suspension, officials said on Friday. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live: Indian team enters stadium as world athletes gather The 32-year-old, a surprise winner of the European title on home soil in 2014 but not expected to be a medal prospect in Tokyo, tested positive for a banned stimulant earlier this month. "At the request of anti-doping Switzerland, the Swiss Olympic Disciplinary Chamber has imposed a nine-month ban on athlete Kariem Hussein in a simplified procedure," the Swiss Olympic Committee said in a statement. "The presence of the prohibited substances nikethamide and the metabolite N-ethylnicotinamide had been demonstrated to the athlete in the doping test. The suspension has been in effect since July 16, 2021, the beginning of the provisional suspension, and is effective for all sports and all functions in sports." Hussein reacted to the news by tweeting: "My dream of the Olympic Games in Tokyo is over. I was banned for 9 months. "One lozenge (Gly-Coramin) contained an illegal substance. I made a mistake with grave consequences. I'm so sorry. But if you know me, you know I'll keep going."

Tokyo Olympics: Swiss hurdler Kariem Hussein out of Games after doping ban

Live: Take a look at different Olympic teams as they enter the stadium

The head of the International Olympic Committee met with the emperor on Thursday and assured him organisers were doing their utmost not to bring infections into the country.

Tokyo 2020: Japan's Emperor Naruhito to open Olympics, reprising grandfather's role

The world's No. 1 recurve archer Deepika Kumari finished ninth in the women's ranking round. She finished with 663 points out of a potential 720, hitting 30 10s and 13 X's in her 72 arrows.&nbsp;

Deepika persevered through a difficult day as she kept going all over the leaderboard all through the event. The 27-year-old began her day well and was serenely in the top 10 however a 7 in the fourth end saw her drop down to the 14th spot.&nbsp;

Although, by halfway mark, Deepika Kumari had moved to fourth through a series of 10s and X's, simply behind South Korea's A San (345), Jang Minhee (339), and Mackenzie Brown (336) of USA.&nbsp;

Deepika Kumari hit three 7s several 8s in the subsequent half, which pushed her down the order.&nbsp;

With her ninth-spot finish, Deepika will confront 56th set Bhu Karma from Bhutan in the first elimination round. Bhu Karma, a Rio Olympian, is 193rd in world rankings.

South Korea's Kim Je Deok scored 688. The 17-year-old is probably going to pair up with A San. The Korean lady archer broke the 25-year-old Olympic record to complete on top in her event.&nbsp;

ALSO&nbsp;READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-heres-how-and-where-you-can-watch-the-live-games-399994" hreflang="en">Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games</a>

Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav will compete in the mixed event as he&nbsp;finished as India's highest scorer in the ranking round of the men's individual event.

At first, it was expected that Deepika would band together with Atanu Das for the Olympics. Nonetheless, Pravin Jadhav beat his kindred male comrades and will currently pair up with Deepika Kumari.

Pravin Jadhav finished 31st in the men's individual event at the Olympics with a score of 656.

Atanu Das was placed 35th with 653 focuses, while Tarundeep Rai positioned at 37th with 652. This is the first time that Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav will compete together.&nbsp;

The mixed teams are positioned by the combined totals of the highest-scoring male archer and the highest-scoring female archer from a solitary country, with a maximum score of 1440 points accessible.

The world's No. 1 recurve archer Deepika Kumari finished ninth in the women's ranking round. She finished with 663 points out of a potential 720, hitting 30 10s and 13 X's in her 72 arrows.

The world's No. 1 recurve archer Deepika Kumari finished ninth in the women's ranking round. She finished with 663 points out of a potential 720, hitting 30 10s and 13 X's in her 72 arrows. Deepika persevered through a difficult day as she kept going all over the leaderboard all through the event. The 27-year-old began her day well and was serenely in the top 10 however a 7 in the fourth end saw her drop down to the 14th spot. Although, by halfway mark, Deepika Kumari had moved to fourth through a series of 10s and X's, simply behind South Korea's A San (345), Jang Minhee (339), and Mackenzie Brown (336) of USA. Deepika Kumari hit three 7s several 8s in the subsequent half, which pushed her down the order. With her ninth-spot finish, Deepika will confront 56th set Bhu Karma from Bhutan in the first elimination round. Bhu Karma, a Rio Olympian, is 193rd in world rankings. South Korea's Kim Je Deok scored 688. The 17-year-old is probably going to pair up with A San. The Korean lady archer broke the 25-year-old Olympic record to complete on top in her event. ALSO READ: Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav will compete in the mixed event as he finished as India's highest scorer in the ranking round of the men's individual event. At first, it was expected that Deepika would band together with Atanu Das for the Olympics. Nonetheless, Pravin Jadhav beat his kindred male comrades and will currently pair up with Deepika Kumari. Pravin Jadhav finished 31st in the men's individual event at the Olympics with a score of 656. Atanu Das was placed 35th with 653 focuses, while Tarundeep Rai positioned at 37th with 652. This is the first time that Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav will compete together. The mixed teams are positioned by the combined totals of the highest-scoring male archer and the highest-scoring female archer from a solitary country, with a maximum score of 1440 points accessible.

Tokyo Olympics: Archer Deepika Kumari finishes 9th in ranking round; partner with Pravin Jadhav in mixed event

Japanese residents may be worried about the prospect of a&nbsp;typhoon&nbsp;forming off the coast next week, but the surfers taking part in the Olympic Games are welcoming the possibility of some big waves with open arms.

The Tokyo Olympics are being held during&nbsp;typhoon&nbsp;season and the weather is a major talking point, with heat and humidity expected to be a major factor in many sports.

But it's the wind and waves that are of most importance for surfing, which makes its Olympics debut next week.

Surfline, which is providing forecasts for the 2020 Games, predicts rising tropical cyclone surf starting on Sunday and continuing through next week, with a prolonged run of medium-sized waves during the eight-day competition window.

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"There's going to be good waves, there's a strong&nbsp;typhoon&nbsp;here off the coast of Japan and we know that the waves are getting bigger," International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Reports of a possible&nbsp;typhoon&nbsp;off the coast were greeted with glee by some competitors.

"It's small but there is swell on the way! Let's go," wrote Australian surfer Owen Wright on Instagram following his first practice session at Tsurigasaki Surf Beach, where competition begins on Sunday.

Surfers had been worried https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/surfing-small-funky-waves-concern-games-debut-2021-05-20 Tsurigasaki's often tiny, weak waves would make difficult to show their skills to a huge new audience.

"The waves have been a little bit small thus far, but there's a really good swell on the way, looking like some great winds for maybe Monday, so that should give us a good platform to showcase for the world what it's all about," New Zealand coach Matt Scorringe told a media conference.

The weather forecast has led to a change of plans for Billy Stairmand, one of Scorringe's athletes in the competition.

"Originally I thought it was going to be pretty small, so I brought all my small-waves boards which are shorter, flatter and little big fatter on the rails," Stairmand told reporters.

"Now, seeing the forecasts with the swell coming in, I brought over a few step-ups, bigger, longer boards with&nbsp;different tails that can do good for big conditions."&nbsp;

No matter how rough the weather gets, New Zealander Ella Williams said competitors would take it as it comes.

"We're prepared for that, we've been preparing for a while. It brought us here and we'll be fine," she said.

Japanese residents may be worried about the prospect of a typhoon forming off the coast next week, but the surfers taking part in the Olympic Games are welcoming the possibility of some big waves with open arms.

Japanese residents may be worried about the prospect of a typhoon forming off the coast next week, but the surfers taking part in the Olympic Games are welcoming the possibility of some big waves with open arms. The Tokyo Olympics are being held during typhoon season and the weather is a major talking point, with heat and humidity expected to be a major factor in many sports. But it's the wind and waves that are of most importance for surfing, which makes its Olympics debut next week. Surfline, which is providing forecasts for the 2020 Games, predicts rising tropical cyclone surf starting on Sunday and continuing through next week, with a prolonged run of medium-sized waves during the eight-day competition window. ALSO READ: Crowds gather outside Tokyo stadium for Olympics opening ceremony "There's going to be good waves, there's a strong typhoon here off the coast of Japan and we know that the waves are getting bigger," International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre told Reuters in a telephone interview. Reports of a possible typhoon off the coast were greeted with glee by some competitors. "It's small but there is swell on the way! Let's go," wrote Australian surfer Owen Wright on Instagram following his first practice session at Tsurigasaki Surf Beach, where competition begins on Sunday. Surfers had been worried https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/surfing-small-funky-waves-concern-games-debut-2021-05-20 Tsurigasaki's often tiny, weak waves would make difficult to show their skills to a huge new audience. "The waves have been a little bit small thus far, but there's a really good swell on the way, looking like some great winds for maybe Monday, so that should give us a good platform to showcase for the world what it's all about," New Zealand coach Matt Scorringe told a media conference. The weather forecast has led to a change of plans for Billy Stairmand, one of Scorringe's athletes in the competition. "Originally I thought it was going to be pretty small, so I brought all my small-waves boards which are shorter, flatter and little big fatter on the rails," Stairmand told reporters. "Now, seeing the forecasts with the swell coming in, I brought over a few step-ups, bigger, longer boards with different tails that can do good for big conditions." No matter how rough the weather gets, New Zealander Ella Williams said competitors would take it as it comes. "We're prepared for that, we've been preparing for a while. It brought us here and we'll be fine," she said.

Olympic Games: Tokyo eyes typhoon forecast, but surfers say bring it on

German&nbsp;female gymnasts will choose whether they want to wear&nbsp;full&nbsp;body-suits&nbsp;in Sunday's qualifications at the&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;Olympics after receiving accolades for donning the outfits in the past in a&nbsp;stand&nbsp;against the sexualisation of their sport.

The&nbsp;German&nbsp;team wore fuchsia unitards - combined leotards and leggings extending to the ankles - at their podium training in&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;on Thursday and said they could chose to wear them again when competition begins.

"We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear," said Elisabeth Seitz, who will be competing in her third Games.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-games-2020-rowing-twigg-borch-blaze-through-field-as-tokyo-competition-kicks-off-400039" hreflang="en">Olympics Games 2020: Rowing-Twigg, Borch blaze through field as Tokyo competition kicks off</a>

In recent years the sport has been rocked by widespread cases of sexual and physical abuse, including in the United States, prompting deep introspection and the introduction of new safety protocols meant to protect athletes.

The&nbsp;German&nbsp;team wore the&nbsp;full-body&nbsp;suits&nbsp;at the European championships in April in a move that was broadly praised by other female gymnasts.

"That doesn't mean we don't want to wear the normal leotard any more," the 27-year-old Seitz said. "It is a decision day by day, based on how we feel and what we want. On competition day, we will decide what to wear."

For&nbsp;women, the&nbsp;standard competition outfit is a leotard, with long, half-length sleeved and sleeveless garments allowed.

Outfits covering legs are allowed by the gymnastics rulebook in international competitions but to date they have been used almost exclusively for religious reasons.

"The coaches were also very much into it," said 21-year-old Sarah Voss. "They said they want us to feel the most confident and comfortable in any case."

Kim Bui, who also competed at the Rio and London Olympics, said the team's fashion choice was just as comfortable as a&nbsp;standard leotard.

"We also train in tights so we are used to the feeling," the 32-year-old said. "It is not that different between competition or training. It is comfortable and that is the most important thing."

German female gymnasts will choose whether they want to wear full body-suits in Sunday's qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics after receiving accolades for donning the outfits in the past in a stand against the sexualisation of their sport.

German female gymnasts will choose whether they want to wear full body-suits in Sunday's qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics after receiving accolades for donning the outfits in the past in a stand against the sexualisation of their sport. The German team wore fuchsia unitards - combined leotards and leggings extending to the ankles - at their podium training in Tokyo on Thursday and said they could chose to wear them again when competition begins. "We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear," said Elisabeth Seitz, who will be competing in her third Games. ALSO READ: Olympics Games 2020: Rowing-Twigg, Borch blaze through field as Tokyo competition kicks off In recent years the sport has been rocked by widespread cases of sexual and physical abuse, including in the United States, prompting deep introspection and the introduction of new safety protocols meant to protect athletes. The German team wore the full-body suits at the European championships in April in a move that was broadly praised by other female gymnasts. "That doesn't mean we don't want to wear the normal leotard any more," the 27-year-old Seitz said. "It is a decision day by day, based on how we feel and what we want. On competition day, we will decide what to wear." For women, the standard competition outfit is a leotard, with long, half-length sleeved and sleeveless garments allowed. Outfits covering legs are allowed by the gymnastics rulebook in international competitions but to date they have been used almost exclusively for religious reasons. "The coaches were also very much into it," said 21-year-old Sarah Voss. "They said they want us to feel the most confident and comfortable in any case." Kim Bui, who also competed at the Rio and London Olympics, said the team's fashion choice was just as comfortable as a standard leotard. "We also train in tights so we are used to the feeling," the 32-year-old said. "It is not that different between competition or training. It is comfortable and that is the most important thing."

Tokyo 2020 - Gymnastics: German women take a stand in full-body suits in Tokyo

Four-time Olympian Emma Twigg's latest battle for the podium got off to a roaring start on Friday, as compelling matchups in the men's and women's single sculls began to take shape on the first day of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Olympic</a> rowing at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo.

The 34-year-old New Zealander posted the fastest overall time of the women's opening heats in her first race since 2019, cruising through to a 7:35.22 finish at the fan-free venue after two heartbreaking fourth-place finishes at the London and Rio Games.

"It's definitely a lung-buster. A few nerves going into it, but that's to be expected in an Olympic Games. It's good to get underway," she said. "These early races, nobody really shows their cards."

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-opening-ceremony-live-telecast-to-begin-at-430-pm-ist-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Opening ceremony live telecast to begin at 4:30 pm IST</a></h2>

She faces a stacked field ahead, as American Kara Kohler, 30, clinched her heat in her return to Olympic rowing, and Ireland’s Sanita Puspure, 39, proved she was worth the hype, winning her round by more than eight seconds after bringing home World Championship titles in 2018 and 2019.

Another clear contender, Britain's Victoria Thornley, who picked up silver in the double sculls in 2016, also advanced.

"Coming to the Olympics in the single has been a dream of mine for some time, so it's good to be out there doing what I love," said the 33-year-old three-time Olympian.

On the men's side, a rematch of the 2019 World Championship final was shaping up, after Norwegian Kjetil Borch posted the fastest overall time in 6:54.46, and 24-year-old German Oliver Zeidler and Sverri Nielsen, 27, of Denmark also clinched their rounds.

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"Everything went as planned," said the 31-year-old, who picked up bronze in the double sculls at the Rio Games, and finished third behind Zeidler and Nielsen, respectively, in 2019.

"You could feel the tension at the start, people are eager to start the Olympics."

Croatia’s Damir Martin, who won silver in Rio, also advanced to the quarter-finals, as he aims to fight his way to the top of the podium after the retirement of New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale, the winner of back-to-back gold in 2012 and 2016.

The Netherlands dominated across the board as men's double sculls pair Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink set a new Olympic best, scorching their opening heat in 6:08.38 and upending an Olympic best set minutes earlier by 2018 World Champions Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias of France.

Their female counterparts, Roos de Jong and Lisa Scheenaard, clinched a spot in the semifinal after winning their heat in 6:49:90, as the Dutch women's single and quad, and men's quad, moved on as well.

Olympic rowing continues Saturday with the men's and women's pairs, lightweight double sculls, and fours.

Four-time Olympian Emma Twigg's latest battle for the podium got off to a roaring start on Friday, as compelling matchups in the men's and women's single sculls began to take shape on the first day of Olympic rowing at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo.

Four-time Olympian Emma Twigg's latest battle for the podium got off to a roaring start on Friday, as compelling matchups in the men's and women's single sculls began to take shape on the first day of Olympic rowing at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo. The 34-year-old New Zealander posted the fastest overall time of the women's opening heats in her first race since 2019, cruising through to a 7:35.22 finish at the fan-free venue after two heartbreaking fourth-place finishes at the London and Rio Games. "It's definitely a lung-buster. A few nerves going into it, but that's to be expected in an Olympic Games. It's good to get underway," she said. "These early races, nobody really shows their cards." Tokyo Olympics Live: Opening ceremony live telecast to begin at 4:30 pm IST She faces a stacked field ahead, as American Kara Kohler, 30, clinched her heat in her return to Olympic rowing, and Ireland’s Sanita Puspure, 39, proved she was worth the hype, winning her round by more than eight seconds after bringing home World Championship titles in 2018 and 2019. Another clear contender, Britain's Victoria Thornley, who picked up silver in the double sculls in 2016, also advanced. "Coming to the Olympics in the single has been a dream of mine for some time, so it's good to be out there doing what I love," said the 33-year-old three-time Olympian. On the men's side, a rematch of the 2019 World Championship final was shaping up, after Norwegian Kjetil Borch posted the fastest overall time in 6:54.46, and 24-year-old German Oliver Zeidler and Sverri Nielsen, 27, of Denmark also clinched their rounds. Also read | Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games and opening ceremony "Everything went as planned," said the 31-year-old, who picked up bronze in the double sculls at the Rio Games, and finished third behind Zeidler and Nielsen, respectively, in 2019. "You could feel the tension at the start, people are eager to start the Olympics." Croatia’s Damir Martin, who won silver in Rio, also advanced to the quarter-finals, as he aims to fight his way to the top of the podium after the retirement of New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale, the winner of back-to-back gold in 2012 and 2016. The Netherlands dominated across the board as men's double sculls pair Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink set a new Olympic best, scorching their opening heat in 6:08.38 and upending an Olympic best set minutes earlier by 2018 World Champions Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias of France. Their female counterparts, Roos de Jong and Lisa Scheenaard, clinched a spot in the semifinal after winning their heat in 6:49:90, as the Dutch women's single and quad, and men's quad, moved on as well. Olympic rowing continues Saturday with the men's and women's pairs, lightweight double sculls, and fours.

Olympics Games 2020: Rowing-Twigg, Borch blaze through field as Tokyo competition kicks off

China's Hou Zhihui, current world record holder in the lightest women's category, may smash her own record on Saturday when the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo 2020</a> weightlifting begins, and take the first gold for her country.

Hou, who holds the world record in snatch with 96 kg, is going up against India's Mirabai Chanu, who holds the world record with 119 kg in clean and jerk. However, with 213 kg in total, Hou holds the world record in that category, too.

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There are two Olympic lifts: the clean and jerk, and the snatch. Each athlete is allowed three attempts at each lift. The best lift in each is combined to determine the overall total. Athletes must successfully attempt the snatch before proceeding to the clean and jerk.

Since the Olympic weightlifting competition restricts the number of entries to one athlete per nation in each weight category, China has entered Hou ahead of reigning world champion Jiang Huihua and Zhang Rong, both of whom have lifted more than Chanu's 86 kg in snatch.

Chanu, India's only representative in weightlifting, has a personal best of 203 kg, and has put forward an entry of 210 kg for Saturday's competition. She's one of India's strongest bets for an Olympic medal this year.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event</a></h2>

In Rio, Chanu was one of two athletes in her category who didn't register a total, after failing all three of her clean and jerk attempts. She's looking forward to burying the ghosts.

"Since the Rio Olympics, I have evolved a lot. I have worked hard on my technique, especially in snatch. My training methods have changed and I have gotten better. I have worked to bring it at par with my clean and jerk," she said.

Making her Olympic debut, U.S. lifter Jourdan Delacruz, with a total of 200 kg this year, is part of the eight-person weightlifting squad, the biggest U.S. weightlifting team for the Olympics in 25 years.

The United States hasn't been a powerhouse in weightlifting since the 1960s. China won the most weightlifting medals at Rio 2016, with Thailand and North Korea also well-represented on the women's podium.

As all three athletes take the stage on Saturday to lift more than one and a half times their bodyweight off the ground, the women's 49 kg weightlifting is sure to be an exciting event to watch.

China's Hou Zhihui, current world record holder in the lightest women's category, may smash her own record on Saturday when the Tokyo 2020 weightlifting begins, and take the first gold for her country.

China's Hou Zhihui, current world record holder in the lightest women's category, may smash her own record on Saturday when the Tokyo 2020 weightlifting begins, and take the first gold for her country. Hou, who holds the world record in snatch with 96 kg, is going up against India's Mirabai Chanu, who holds the world record with 119 kg in clean and jerk. However, with 213 kg in total, Hou holds the world record in that category, too. Also read | Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games There are two Olympic lifts: the clean and jerk, and the snatch. Each athlete is allowed three attempts at each lift. The best lift in each is combined to determine the overall total. Athletes must successfully attempt the snatch before proceeding to the clean and jerk. Since the Olympic weightlifting competition restricts the number of entries to one athlete per nation in each weight category, China has entered Hou ahead of reigning world champion Jiang Huihua and Zhang Rong, both of whom have lifted more than Chanu's 86 kg in snatch. Chanu, India's only representative in weightlifting, has a personal best of 203 kg, and has put forward an entry of 210 kg for Saturday's competition. She's one of India's strongest bets for an Olympic medal this year. Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event In Rio, Chanu was one of two athletes in her category who didn't register a total, after failing all three of her clean and jerk attempts. She's looking forward to burying the ghosts. "Since the Rio Olympics, I have evolved a lot. I have worked hard on my technique, especially in snatch. My training methods have changed and I have gotten better. I have worked to bring it at par with my clean and jerk," she said. Making her Olympic debut, U.S. lifter Jourdan Delacruz, with a total of 200 kg this year, is part of the eight-person weightlifting squad, the biggest U.S. weightlifting team for the Olympics in 25 years. The United States hasn't been a powerhouse in weightlifting since the 1960s. China won the most weightlifting medals at Rio 2016, with Thailand and North Korea also well-represented on the women's podium. As all three athletes take the stage on Saturday to lift more than one and a half times their bodyweight off the ground, the women's 49 kg weightlifting is sure to be an exciting event to watch.

Tokyo 2020: Olympics Weightlifting- China poised to bag first Tokyo gold

As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games</a> kickstarted on July 23 morning, the threat of coronavirus has still not faded away. With the aim of being safe in the pandemic, International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to conduct the games without fans in stadiums this year.

With the opening ceremony a few hours away, here are some of the most popular questions answered for all Olympic Games fans.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event</a></h2>

<h2>Venue</h2>

This year, the host of the Olympic Games is&nbsp;Tokyo, Japan. Starting from July 23, the Summer Olympics will continue till August 08.

<h2>Live updates</h2>

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will not be live broadcasted on every channel. However, WION is bringing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834">live updates</a> to you for all the major games this year. Follow live updates on WION’s website through this link:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834">https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834</a>

In addition to this, SonyLiv app and website will also be streaming live updates for this year’s Olympics.

Sony Sports Network is the only media house that has earned the exclusive rights to broadcast all Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this year in India. Sony TEN 1 and Sony TEN 2 will be broadcasting with English live commentary, while Sony TEN 3 will cater to the Hindi-speaking audience.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-a-guide-of-main-events-schedule-and-timings-399932" hreflang="en">Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: A guide of main events schedule and timings</a>

<h2>Starting time</h2>

While the seeding events started taking place from 05:30 am IST, the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020 will begin from 04:30 pm IST on July 23. This year, the opening ceremony will be hosted in the Japan National Stadium.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the guestlist for the opening ceremony has been very limited.

As the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games kickstarted on July 23 morning, the threat of coronavirus has still not faded away. With the aim of being safe in the pandemic, International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to conduct the games without fans in stadiums this year.

As the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games kickstarted on July 23 morning, the threat of coronavirus has still not faded away. With the aim of being safe in the pandemic, International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to conduct the games without fans in stadiums this year. With the opening ceremony a few hours away, here are some of the most popular questions answered for all Olympic Games fans. Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event Venue This year, the host of the Olympic Games is Tokyo, Japan. Starting from July 23, the Summer Olympics will continue till August 08. Live updates Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will not be live broadcasted on every channel. However, WION is bringing live updates to you for all the major games this year. Follow live updates on WION’s website through this link: https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834 In addition to this, SonyLiv app and website will also be streaming live updates for this year’s Olympics. Sony Sports Network is the only media house that has earned the exclusive rights to broadcast all Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this year in India. Sony TEN 1 and Sony TEN 2 will be broadcasting with English live commentary, while Sony TEN 3 will cater to the Hindi-speaking audience. Also read | Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: A guide of main events schedule and timings Starting time While the seeding events started taking place from 05:30 am IST, the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020 will begin from 04:30 pm IST on July 23. This year, the opening ceremony will be hosted in the Japan National Stadium. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the guestlist for the opening ceremony has been very limited.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games and opening ceremony

South Korean women archers took the top three places in qualification on Friday, with one breaking an Olympic record that stood for 25 years along the way, as the team aims for the longest gold medal streak at the Olympics.

All 128 archers, 64 women and 64 men shoot a qualifying round for the individual event. They total their points scores, up to a maximum of 720, and are ranked from top to bottom at the end of the round. Each one’s position after the ranking round becomes their seed for matchplay.

An San topped the field, with the 20-year-old shooting 680 points to beat the record set at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

“I did my best, and that led to good results. I feel nothing but happy,” An told reporters after the round.

South Korea’s female archers hold all the Olympic records and have won every team gold since the first in 1988.

If they win their ninth gold medal in the women’s team event in Tokyo, that will tie the longest gold medal streak in all sports at the Olympic Games.

South Korean women archers took the top three places in qualification on Friday, with one breaking an Olympic record that stood for 25 years along the way, as the team aims for the longest gold medal streak at the Olympics.

South Korean women archers took the top three places in qualification on Friday, with one breaking an Olympic record that stood for 25 years along the way, as the team aims for the longest gold medal streak at the Olympics. All 128 archers, 64 women and 64 men shoot a qualifying round for the individual event. They total their points scores, up to a maximum of 720, and are ranked from top to bottom at the end of the round. Each one’s position after the ranking round becomes their seed for matchplay. An San topped the field, with the 20-year-old shooting 680 points to beat the record set at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. “I did my best, and that led to good results. I feel nothing but happy,” An told reporters after the round. South Korea’s female archers hold all the Olympic records and have won every team gold since the first in 1988. If they win their ninth gold medal in the women’s team event in Tokyo, that will tie the longest gold medal streak in all sports at the Olympic Games.

Olympics 2020: South Korean women sweep Archery qualifying, eye longest gold streak

Syria's Hend Zaza was just five when she first picked up a table tennis paddle, and now the 12-year-old is the youngest person to compete at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo Olympics</a>.

Zaza shot to fame overnight in her war-torn country last year after beating a Lebanese rival in her forties to win the West Asia championships, qualifying her for the Olympics.

She is the only female member of a six-person team vying for her home country's fourth-ever Olympic medal.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event</a></h2>

On Saturday, she will kick off the competition against 39-year-old Austrian Liu Jia in the preliminary round of the women's singles.

Zaza is set to become the youngest Olympian since 11-year-old Beatrice Hustiu competed in figure skating at the 1968 Winter Olympics.

Coach Adham Jumaan says he discovered Zaza when she was only five years old, three years into Syria's devastating civil war.

She was playing ping-pong with her older brother Obeida, a junior national tennis table champion, in a sports hall in central Syria's Hama.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-heres-how-and-where-you-can-watch-the-live-games-399994" hreflang="en">Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games</a>

"I was struck by her physique, quick reflexes and intuition," Jumaan said.

"She was clearly gifted."

Recognising that she was smart, determined and ambitious, he started off by giving her daily training sessions at the same sports centre.

Just seven months later, it paid off when Zaza finished second in the 2015 Syrian junior championships aged just six.

From there, she rose from one success to the next.

By the age of nine, she had won the under 12s national competition and West Asia championships. And she won the national women's cup.

'Become a pharmacist'

Syria's civil war has killed around 500,000 people, displaced millions, and ravaged infrastructure since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.

"We trained in tough conditions," said Jumaan, who was her coach until recently.

There were "power cuts at the sports hall. Sometimes we were stuck inside for hours" as rebel artillery fire fell outside.

"And we struggled to get visas to take part in competitions abroad."

As the death toll mounted at the start of Syria's war, several countries cut diplomatic relations with the Syrian government and closed their missions in Damascus.

But last year, the Chinese Olympic Committee invited Zaza to go and train with its players in China after coronavirus restrictions were lifted.

She is now in Tokyo with fellow Syrians high jumper Majd Eddin Ghazal, weightlifter Man Asaad, showjumper Ahmed Hamsho, swimmer Ayman Kalzieh, and triathlete Mohamed Masso.

Zaza has high hopes.

"I dream of becoming world champion and an Olympic champion" one day, she told AFP.

But I also want "to finish my studies and become a pharmacist".

Her father, an amateur football player, has always made sure she had private tuition so she would not miss out on school while competing.

Syria's Hend Zaza was just five when she first picked up a table tennis paddle, and now the 12-year-old is the youngest person to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Zaza shot to fame overnight in her war-torn country last year after beating a Lebanese rival in her forties to win the West Asia championships, qualifying her for the Olympics.

Syria's Hend Zaza was just five when she first picked up a table tennis paddle, and now the 12-year-old is the youngest person to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Zaza shot to fame overnight in her war-torn country last year after beating a Lebanese rival in her forties to win the West Asia championships, qualifying her for the Olympics. She is the only female member of a six-person team vying for her home country's fourth-ever Olympic medal. Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event On Saturday, she will kick off the competition against 39-year-old Austrian Liu Jia in the preliminary round of the women's singles. Zaza is set to become the youngest Olympian since 11-year-old Beatrice Hustiu competed in figure skating at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Coach Adham Jumaan says he discovered Zaza when she was only five years old, three years into Syria's devastating civil war. She was playing ping-pong with her older brother Obeida, a junior national tennis table champion, in a sports hall in central Syria's Hama. Also read | Tokyo 2020 Olympic games: Here's how and where you can watch the live games "I was struck by her physique, quick reflexes and intuition," Jumaan said. "She was clearly gifted." Recognising that she was smart, determined and ambitious, he started off by giving her daily training sessions at the same sports centre. Just seven months later, it paid off when Zaza finished second in the 2015 Syrian junior championships aged just six. From there, she rose from one success to the next. By the age of nine, she had won the under 12s national competition and West Asia championships. And she won the national women's cup. 'Become a pharmacist' Syria's civil war has killed around 500,000 people, displaced millions, and ravaged infrastructure since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests. "We trained in tough conditions," said Jumaan, who was her coach until recently. There were "power cuts at the sports hall. Sometimes we were stuck inside for hours" as rebel artillery fire fell outside. "And we struggled to get visas to take part in competitions abroad." As the death toll mounted at the start of Syria's war, several countries cut diplomatic relations with the Syrian government and closed their missions in Damascus. But last year, the Chinese Olympic Committee invited Zaza to go and train with its players in China after coronavirus restrictions were lifted. She is now in Tokyo with fellow Syrians high jumper Majd Eddin Ghazal, weightlifter Man Asaad, showjumper Ahmed Hamsho, swimmer Ayman Kalzieh, and triathlete Mohamed Masso. Zaza has high hopes. "I dream of becoming world champion and an Olympic champion" one day, she told AFP. But I also want "to finish my studies and become a pharmacist". Her father, an amateur football player, has always made sure she had private tuition so she would not miss out on school while competing.

Syria's table tennis tween navigates 'tough' road to Olympics 2020

Muslim athletes in Tokyo for the Olympics marked a pared-down Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, thousands of miles from their loved ones with shared prayers and cheery online messages.

One of the most important holidays on the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha is typically celebrated with families coming together in fine clothes to partake of large feasts, slaughtering livestock for the occasion and giving presents to children.

The Tokyo Olympics are being held under tight coronavirus restrictions with athletes, officials and journalists from around the globe all but cut off from the rest of the city and subject to mask-wearing and social distancing.

After years of training to make it this far, some Muslim athletes and officials from Muslim countries, gathered together for a shared prayer in masks.

"The delegations of Islamic countries conduct the prayer for the blessed Eid al-Adha holiday in the athletes' village," Jordan's Olympic Committee posted on Twitter alongside pictures of athletes and officials praying amid sports shoes and clothes.

Some officials wearing Saudi-branded tracksuits appeared to be praying on a stone floor without the usual prayer mats. Their masks hiding smiles, Moroccan and Jordanian representatives shared sweets from small tins for the occasion.

Much of the celebrations were confined to online messages.

All fourteen players of the Turkish women's volleyball team dubbed the "Sultans of the Net" back home, published a video message on Instagram and Twitter.

"Happy Eid to everyone from Tokyo," the women chanted.

Turkey's volleyball team is one of the country's medal hopes, after bagging the bronze medal last month at the Volleyball Women's Nations League tournament.

As for the Olympic refugee team, which includes athletes from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the International Olympic Committee's director of Olympic solidarity, James Macleod, said at a virtual news conference on Friday:

"The Muslim athletes celebrated Eid and we were happy that they were able to do that. Obviously, with the measures in place, we can't have a party, so they were doing it in a personal way."

Muslim athletes in Tokyo for the Olympics marked a pared-down Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, thousands of miles from their loved ones with shared prayers and cheery online messages.

Muslim athletes in Tokyo for the Olympics marked a pared-down Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, thousands of miles from their loved ones with shared prayers and cheery online messages. One of the most important holidays on the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha is typically celebrated with families coming together in fine clothes to partake of large feasts, slaughtering livestock for the occasion and giving presents to children. The Tokyo Olympics are being held under tight coronavirus restrictions with athletes, officials and journalists from around the globe all but cut off from the rest of the city and subject to mask-wearing and social distancing. After years of training to make it this far, some Muslim athletes and officials from Muslim countries, gathered together for a shared prayer in masks. "The delegations of Islamic countries conduct the prayer for the blessed Eid al-Adha holiday in the athletes' village," Jordan's Olympic Committee posted on Twitter alongside pictures of athletes and officials praying amid sports shoes and clothes. Some officials wearing Saudi-branded tracksuits appeared to be praying on a stone floor without the usual prayer mats. Their masks hiding smiles, Moroccan and Jordanian representatives shared sweets from small tins for the occasion. Much of the celebrations were confined to online messages. All fourteen players of the Turkish women's volleyball team dubbed the "Sultans of the Net" back home, published a video message on Instagram and Twitter. "Happy Eid to everyone from Tokyo," the women chanted. Turkey's volleyball team is one of the country's medal hopes, after bagging the bronze medal last month at the Volleyball Women's Nations League tournament. As for the Olympic refugee team, which includes athletes from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the International Olympic Committee's director of Olympic solidarity, James Macleod, said at a virtual news conference on Friday: "The Muslim athletes celebrated Eid and we were happy that they were able to do that. Obviously, with the measures in place, we can't have a party, so they were doing it in a personal way."

Olympics 2020: Muslim Olympians celebrate Eid far from home in Tokyo

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is benefited from more gender diversity. India is one of the countries that have profited the most from the surge in female athletes.

In a historic event for India, the country has sent 56 female athletes to the Tokyo Olympics, making it the country's largest female contingent at the Summer Games.&nbsp;

There are 71 males of the 127 athletes who have qualified for the Olympics, while the remaining 56 are women.

In keeping with the Tokyo Olympics' 'gender balanced' Games theme, five major countries are sending more women athletes than men to the main event.

The United Kingdom, the United States, China, Australia, and Canada have all declared contingents with much more female representation.&nbsp;

Athletics will have the largest representation from India, with a total of 26 athletes qualifying for the Olympics thanks to their outstanding performance.

Shooting, on the other hand, will have the second-largest contingent in the country, with 15 qualified athletes.&nbsp;

India's Olympic team for Tokyo 2020 consists of 127 athletes from 18 sports, including two alternate players and one reserve goalkeeper from the men's and women's hockey teams, respectively.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is benefited from more gender diversity. India is one of the countries that have profited the most from the surge in female athletes. In a historic event for India, the country has sent 56 female athletes to the Tokyo Olympics, making it the country's largest female contingent at the Summer Games.

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is benefited from more gender diversity. India is one of the countries that have profited the most from the surge in female athletes. In a historic event for India, the country has sent 56 female athletes to the Tokyo Olympics, making it the country's largest female contingent at the Summer Games. There are 71 males of the 127 athletes who have qualified for the Olympics, while the remaining 56 are women. In keeping with the Tokyo Olympics' 'gender balanced' Games theme, five major countries are sending more women athletes than men to the main event. The United Kingdom, the United States, China, Australia, and Canada have all declared contingents with much more female representation. Athletics will have the largest representation from India, with a total of 26 athletes qualifying for the Olympics thanks to their outstanding performance. Shooting, on the other hand, will have the second-largest contingent in the country, with 15 qualified athletes. India's Olympic team for Tokyo 2020 consists of 127 athletes from 18 sports, including two alternate players and one reserve goalkeeper from the men's and women's hockey teams, respectively. (With inputs from agencies)

Tokyo Olympics 2020: India's highest-ever female participants

&nbsp;

Indian men's hockey team has gone through a lot of highs and lows in the last few years however the year 2019 has certainly finished on a superior note as the team sealed the Olympic spot after crushing Russia in a two-match season finisher at the last phase of FIH Olympic qualifiers in Bhubaneshwar.&nbsp;

The year began fabulously as the Men in Blue, driven by Manpreet Singh, ended as runners-up subsequent to going down to South Korea in a nail-gnawing final at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.&nbsp;

Positioned at No. 5 in the world, the team then proceeded to whitewash Spain and Belgium. They won 2-0 against the World Ranked 2 and current World Champions Belgium in the opening clash prior to whipping Spain 6-1 and 5-1 in the following two games.&nbsp;

This was then trailed by 2-1 and 5-1 triumph against a lot more grounded Belgian young men, consequently guaranteeing a decisive victory against the European forces to be reckoned with.&nbsp;

In the FIH Series finals that occurred in Bhubaneshwar in June, tea, India crushed South Africa 5-1 in the culmination clash to become the champions.&nbsp;

After forgettable exhibitions at London and Rio Olympics where the team completed last and eighth separately, Team India would endeavor to accomplish a podium finish in Tokyo.

Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics Hockey event&nbsp;let us take a look at three Indian key players to watch out for:

<h2>Manpreet Singh</h2>

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be the main summer games in which Manpreet Singh will be driving the men's hockey group. He has procured more than 150 caps for the national team since making his first appearance in 2013.

Under Manpreet Singh's administration, the Indian men's team won the Asia Cup. After a year, they likewise won the Asian Champions Trophy. The team enjoyed and proceeded with progress under Manpreet, who additionally helped India to a win in the FIH Series Final in 2019.&nbsp;

The men's team was noteworthy under Manpreet's leadership as it advanced toward the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar. They likewise performed extremely well in the FIH Hockey Pro League.

<h2>Mandeep Singh</h2>

The 26-year-old had a splendid run for Ranchi Rhinos at the 2013 Hockey India League season, where he scored a goal, to help his side secure 2-1 success over Punjab Warriors at the Surjit Hockey Stadium. He was instrumental in driving the Ranchi franchise to the title, in the debut period of the Hockey India League.&nbsp;

He was the second most noteworthy scorer in the alliance, with ten goals in thirteen matches, and was granted the trophy for the upcoming Player of the Tournament award.&nbsp;

Since, then he has been a vital member of the India men's hockey team's gold medal-winning run at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, silver medal at the 2016 and 2018 Champions Trophy, and a bronze medal at the Asian Games.&nbsp;

<h2>Lalit Kumar Upadhyay</h2>

The 27-year-old&nbsp;has arisen as one of the vital forwards in the India men's hockey team since making his debut for his national team in 2014. He has been a significant patron in the team's exhibition by scoring 22 goals in his 93 appearances.&nbsp;

He was stupendous with his performance in India's FIH Pro League debut against the Netherlands as netted twice in their overwhelming 5-2 triumph in Bhubaneswar. He has additionally decreed the player of the match.&nbsp;

He had additionally dazzled India hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay, who offered him to play for Air India, where he was voted for the 'Rookie of the Year' award at the World Series Hockey competition in 2012.&nbsp;

He has additionally assisted India with securing the gold medals at the 2016 and 2018 Champions Trophy. He was likewise a vital part of the Indian team which sacked the gold medal at the 2017 Asian Games. It will arrive now to do his absolute best and help India seal a podium spot at Tokyo 2020.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indian men's hockey team has gone through a lot of highs and lows in the last few years however the year 2019 has certainly finished on a superior note as the team sealed the Olympic spot after crushing Russia in a two-match season finisher at the last phase of FIH Olympic qualifiers in Bhubaneshwar.

Indian men's hockey team has gone through a lot of highs and lows in the last few years however the year 2019 has certainly finished on a superior note as the team sealed the Olympic spot after crushing Russia in a two-match season finisher at the last phase of FIH Olympic qualifiers in Bhubaneshwar. The year began fabulously as the Men in Blue, driven by Manpreet Singh, ended as runners-up subsequent to going down to South Korea in a nail-gnawing final at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Positioned at No. 5 in the world, the team then proceeded to whitewash Spain and Belgium. They won 2-0 against the World Ranked 2 and current World Champions Belgium in the opening clash prior to whipping Spain 6-1 and 5-1 in the following two games. This was then trailed by 2-1 and 5-1 triumph against a lot more grounded Belgian young men, consequently guaranteeing a decisive victory against the European forces to be reckoned with. In the FIH Series finals that occurred in Bhubaneshwar in June, tea, India crushed South Africa 5-1 in the culmination clash to become the champions. After forgettable exhibitions at London and Rio Olympics where the team completed last and eighth separately, Team India would endeavor to accomplish a podium finish in Tokyo. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics Hockey event let us take a look at three Indian key players to watch out for: Manpreet Singh The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be the main summer games in which Manpreet Singh will be driving the men's hockey group. He has procured more than 150 caps for the national team since making his first appearance in 2013. Under Manpreet Singh's administration, the Indian men's team won the Asia Cup. After a year, they likewise won the Asian Champions Trophy. The team enjoyed and proceeded with progress under Manpreet, who additionally helped India to a win in the FIH Series Final in 2019. The men's team was noteworthy under Manpreet's leadership as it advanced toward the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar. They likewise performed extremely well in the FIH Hockey Pro League. Mandeep Singh The 26-year-old had a splendid run for Ranchi Rhinos at the 2013 Hockey India League season, where he scored a goal, to help his side secure 2-1 success over Punjab Warriors at the Surjit Hockey Stadium. He was instrumental in driving the Ranchi franchise to the title, in the debut period of the Hockey India League. He was the second most noteworthy scorer in the alliance, with ten goals in thirteen matches, and was granted the trophy for the upcoming Player of the Tournament award. Since, then he has been a vital member of the India men's hockey team's gold medal-winning run at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, silver medal at the 2016 and 2018 Champions Trophy, and a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay The 27-year-old has arisen as one of the vital forwards in the India men's hockey team since making his debut for his national team in 2014. He has been a significant patron in the team's exhibition by scoring 22 goals in his 93 appearances. He was stupendous with his performance in India's FIH Pro League debut against the Netherlands as netted twice in their overwhelming 5-2 triumph in Bhubaneswar. He has additionally decreed the player of the match. He had additionally dazzled India hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay, who offered him to play for Air India, where he was voted for the 'Rookie of the Year' award at the World Series Hockey competition in 2012. He has additionally assisted India with securing the gold medals at the 2016 and 2018 Champions Trophy. He was likewise a vital part of the Indian team which sacked the gold medal at the 2017 Asian Games. It will arrive now to do his absolute best and help India seal a podium spot at Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo Olympics: Three players to watch out for in India men's Hockey team

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally kicks off on Friday. The Games will begin still in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time ever, no fans will be permitted to witness the opening ceremony just like they have been banned from other sporting competitions.

Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony to kick off on Friday

Brazil striker Richarlison struck a stunning hat-trick inside 30 minutes as the defending Olympic champions beat Germany 4-2 in their opening Group D game in the men's football tournament at the International Stadium on Thursday (July 22).

Brazil should have had the outcome decided by the interval given the amount of chances they created but Germany struck twice in the second half, despite going down to 10 men in the 63rd minute.

The match was a repeat of the gold medal game from Rio five years ago and was played at the venue where Brazil beat Germany in the World Cup final in 2002.

Argentina suffered a shock 2-0 loss to Australia in Group C.

In their first Olympic campaign since Beijing 2008, Australia took a surprise lead against twice gold medallists Argentina inside 14 minutes when winger Lachlan Wales scored from close range.

Argentina's problems were compounded late in the first half when left back Francisco Ortega was sent off after two quickfire yellow cards.

The South American side never quite recovered from the setback, as substitute Marco Tilio added a second for the Olyroos in the 80th minute to seal a memorable win.

Hosts Japan made a winning start courtesy of a late strike from midfielder Takefusa Kubo in a 1-0 victory over South Africa, who were dealing with COVID-19 cases on the eve of the Group A match.

Making their first soccer appearance since the 1964 Tokyo Games, Romania beat Honduras 1-0 thanks to an Elvin Oliva own goal.

Brazil striker Richarlison struck a stunning hat-trick inside 30 minutes as the defending Olympic champions beat Germany 4-2 in their opening Group D game in the men's football tournament at the International Stadium on Thursday (July 22).

Brazil striker Richarlison struck a stunning hat-trick inside 30 minutes as the defending Olympic champions beat Germany 4-2 in their opening Group D game in the men's football tournament at the International Stadium on Thursday (July 22). Brazil should have had the outcome decided by the interval given the amount of chances they created but Germany struck twice in the second half, despite going down to 10 men in the 63rd minute. The match was a repeat of the gold medal game from Rio five years ago and was played at the venue where Brazil beat Germany in the World Cup final in 2002. Argentina suffered a shock 2-0 loss to Australia in Group C. In their first Olympic campaign since Beijing 2008, Australia took a surprise lead against twice gold medallists Argentina inside 14 minutes when winger Lachlan Wales scored from close range. Argentina's problems were compounded late in the first half when left back Francisco Ortega was sent off after two quickfire yellow cards. The South American side never quite recovered from the setback, as substitute Marco Tilio added a second for the Olyroos in the 80th minute to seal a memorable win. Hosts Japan made a winning start courtesy of a late strike from midfielder Takefusa Kubo in a 1-0 victory over South Africa, who were dealing with COVID-19 cases on the eve of the Group A match. Making their first soccer appearance since the 1964 Tokyo Games, Romania beat Honduras 1-0 thanks to an Elvin Oliva own goal.

Tokyo Olympics football: Richarlison scores hat-trick as Brazil beat Germany; Argentina suffers shock defeat

Many Olympic nations are expected to demonstrate their support for gender equality and racial justice on Friday night with their selections of athletes to carry flags at the opening ceremony.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">International Olympic Committee</a> changed it rules and asked each nation to select two flagbearers in an effort to increase gender equality at the Tokyo Games.

Gold-medal rower Mohamed Sbihi will be the first Muslim to carry the British flag at the Games, alongside sailor Hannah Mills.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-youngest-archer-at-games-seeds-top-in-mens-event-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event</a></h2>

"It is such an honour to be invited to be the flagbearer for Team GB," Sbihi said. "It is an iconic moment within the Olympic movement – people remember those images."

Aussies Cate Campbell and Patty Mills are both attending their fourth Olympics. Mills, a basketballer who plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, will be the first indigenous Australian selected to carry the flag for the Opening Ceremony.

"It's identity, it's being able to showcase who you are throughout the world," Mills said. "It's one of those things that makes you proud of who you are. We have definitely come a long way for Australian sport and it's special."

Have a look&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/olympic-games-super-fan-kyoko-ishikawa-gears-up-for-covid-ridden-tokyo-2020-399973" hreflang="en">Olympic Games' super fan, Kyoko Ishikawa, gears up for Covid-ridden Tokyo 2020</a>

Team USA will be represented by 40-year-old basketballer Sue Bird and Cuban-American baseballer Eddy Alvarez. Alvarez, who also won a silver medal for speedskating in the 2014 Winter Olympics, has expressed support for those in Cuba who have joined recent protests over the country's economic crisis.

"We feel for the people of Cuba right now. We're so proud of them because they are going out there to protest with stones, forks and broomsticks," he said.

For the Netherlands, it will be 36-year-old Dutch sprinter and Black athlete Churandy Martina, from Curaçao, and skateboarder Keet Oldenbeuving, 16. They are the oldest and youngest members of the Dutch Olympic team.

In Belgium's case, the two will also represent the country’s linguistic divide – heptathlete Nafi Thiam, a French speaker, and hockey player Felix Denayer, a Dutch speaker.

"What an honor!" posted Black sprinter Mujinga Kambundji with an emoji of the Swiss flag on Instagram after she was selected alongside Max Heinzer.

"When I started athletics as a child, going to the Olympics never sounded really realistic. Today, I’m preparing for my third Olympic Games, and this honor makes the experience even more special."

Many Olympic nations are expected to demonstrate their support for gender equality and racial justice on Friday night with their selections of athletes to carry flags at the opening ceremony.

Many Olympic nations are expected to demonstrate their support for gender equality and racial justice on Friday night with their selections of athletes to carry flags at the opening ceremony. The International Olympic Committee changed it rules and asked each nation to select two flagbearers in an effort to increase gender equality at the Tokyo Games. Gold-medal rower Mohamed Sbihi will be the first Muslim to carry the British flag at the Games, alongside sailor Hannah Mills. Tokyo Olympics Live: Youngest archer at games seeds top in men’s event "It is such an honour to be invited to be the flagbearer for Team GB," Sbihi said. "It is an iconic moment within the Olympic movement – people remember those images." Aussies Cate Campbell and Patty Mills are both attending their fourth Olympics. Mills, a basketballer who plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, will be the first indigenous Australian selected to carry the flag for the Opening Ceremony. "It's identity, it's being able to showcase who you are throughout the world," Mills said. "It's one of those things that makes you proud of who you are. We have definitely come a long way for Australian sport and it's special." Have a look Olympic Games' super fan, Kyoko Ishikawa, gears up for Covid-ridden Tokyo 2020 Team USA will be represented by 40-year-old basketballer Sue Bird and Cuban-American baseballer Eddy Alvarez. Alvarez, who also won a silver medal for speedskating in the 2014 Winter Olympics, has expressed support for those in Cuba who have joined recent protests over the country's economic crisis. "We feel for the people of Cuba right now. We're so proud of them because they are going out there to protest with stones, forks and broomsticks," he said. For the Netherlands, it will be 36-year-old Dutch sprinter and Black athlete Churandy Martina, from Curaçao, and skateboarder Keet Oldenbeuving, 16. They are the oldest and youngest members of the Dutch Olympic team. In Belgium's case, the two will also represent the country’s linguistic divide – heptathlete Nafi Thiam, a French speaker, and hockey player Felix Denayer, a Dutch speaker. "What an honor!" posted Black sprinter Mujinga Kambundji with an emoji of the Swiss flag on Instagram after she was selected alongside Max Heinzer. "When I started athletics as a child, going to the Olympics never sounded really realistic. Today, I’m preparing for my third Olympic Games, and this honor makes the experience even more special."

Tokyo 2020: Flagbearers to send messages of equality and justice at opening ceremony

All 29 athletes in the Olympic refugee team will march behind the Olympic flag at the Tokyo Games opening ceremony on Friday, an organiser said, to represent the more than 82 million displaced people across the globe.

The International Olympic Committee unveiled its first refugee team at the Rio 2016 Olympics to raise awareness of the issue as hundreds of thousands of people poured into Europe from the Middle East and elsewhere escaping conflict and poverty.

"The Olympic refugee team is representing 82.5 million forcibly displaced people and refugees around the world," James Macleod, the IOC's director of Olympic solidarity, told a virtual news conference.

"There is a feeling of hope that they can shine a spotlight on this issue."

For the Tokyo Games, the team comprised of people from countries including Syria, South Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan and Iran is almost three times as big as the inaugural team at the Rio.

All of the athletes arrived in Tokyo by late Thursday after a delay in some of their trips following a positive COVID-19 test of a team official at a training camp in Qatar.

The athletes will march into the stadium during the opening ceremony in second place behind ancient Games founders Greece and will compete in 12 sports.

"Everyone is excited, but they are, like any other elite-level athletes, trying to concentrate on the Games," Macleod said.

Six of them competed at Rio, but for the rest, it will be their first Games.

"What we don't do with the refugee Olympic team is to project medals and results," Macleod said."We want the athletes not to have that pressure, we want them to be able to enjoy the participation here."

All 29 athletes in the Olympic refugee team will march behind the Olympic flag at the Tokyo Games opening ceremony on Friday, an organiser said, to represent the more than 82 million displaced people across the globe.

All 29 athletes in the Olympic refugee team will march behind the Olympic flag at the Tokyo Games opening ceremony on Friday, an organiser said, to represent the more than 82 million displaced people across the globe. The International Olympic Committee unveiled its first refugee team at the Rio 2016 Olympics to raise awareness of the issue as hundreds of thousands of people poured into Europe from the Middle East and elsewhere escaping conflict and poverty. "The Olympic refugee team is representing 82.5 million forcibly displaced people and refugees around the world," James Macleod, the IOC's director of Olympic solidarity, told a virtual news conference. "There is a feeling of hope that they can shine a spotlight on this issue." For the Tokyo Games, the team comprised of people from countries including Syria, South Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan and Iran is almost three times as big as the inaugural team at the Rio. All of the athletes arrived in Tokyo by late Thursday after a delay in some of their trips following a positive COVID-19 test of a team official at a training camp in Qatar. The athletes will march into the stadium during the opening ceremony in second place behind ancient Games founders Greece and will compete in 12 sports. "Everyone is excited, but they are, like any other elite-level athletes, trying to concentrate on the Games," Macleod said. Six of them competed at Rio, but for the rest, it will be their first Games. "What we don't do with the refugee Olympic team is to project medals and results," Macleod said."We want the athletes not to have that pressure, we want them to be able to enjoy the participation here."

Tokyo Olympics: All athletes in refugee team to join opening ceremony

Olympic Games' super fan, Kyoko Ishikawa, gears up for Covid-ridden Tokyo 2020

The Tokyo Olympics organising committee announced on Friday that 110 people have been infected with the coronavirus as a result of the Games.

The coronavirus has been diagnosed in 19 persons, including three who are living at the Olympic Village in the capital's Harumi seaside district.

The daily figure was the highest since the committee began announcing COVID-19 positive cases among persons associated with the Olympics on July 1st.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is determined to hold the Olympics, placed Tokyo under a state of emergency on July 12, but daily cases have sharply increased since then.

Meanwhile, new COVID-19 cases in Tokyo touched a six-month high on Thursday, one day before the Olympics begin, raising fears of a worsening of infections during the Games.

The 1,979 new cases reported on Thursday are the most since 2,044 were reported on January 15.

Japan has reported about 853,000 cases and 15,100 deaths since the pandemic began, most of them this year.

Still, the number of cases and deaths as a share of the population are much lower than in many other countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Tokyo Olympics organising committee announced on Friday that 110 people have been infected with the coronavirus as a result of the Games. The coronavirus has been diagnosed in 19 persons, including three who are living at the Olympic Village in the capital's Harumi seaside district.

The Tokyo Olympics organising committee announced on Friday that 110 people have been infected with the coronavirus as a result of the Games. The coronavirus has been diagnosed in 19 persons, including three who are living at the Olympic Village in the capital's Harumi seaside district. The daily figure was the highest since the committee began announcing COVID-19 positive cases among persons associated with the Olympics on July 1st. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is determined to hold the Olympics, placed Tokyo under a state of emergency on July 12, but daily cases have sharply increased since then. Meanwhile, new COVID-19 cases in Tokyo touched a six-month high on Thursday, one day before the Olympics begin, raising fears of a worsening of infections during the Games. The 1,979 new cases reported on Thursday are the most since 2,044 were reported on January 15. Japan has reported about 853,000 cases and 15,100 deaths since the pandemic began, most of them this year. Still, the number of cases and deaths as a share of the population are much lower than in many other countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Tokyo Olympics: COVID-19 cases among Games-related persons cross 100

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have finally started. After being postponed for nearly a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo is ready to host one of the biggest and most controversial games.

With the opening ceremony a few hours away, here is a list of main events that will be taking place from July 23 onwards (all time slots are in BST).

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-1-live-updates-indian-men-archers-finish-below-30-places-399834" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics Live: Indian men archers finish below 30 places</a></h2>

<h1>July 23, Friday — Day Zero</h1>

<h2>Archery</h2>

In the morning in Tokyo, archers set out to compete for a ranking round. While this round will not result in anyone’s elimination, it will help determine seeding for women’s and men’s individual tournaments.

<h2>Rowing</h2>

A similar rowing competition is also scheduled for the morning which will see the participation of known players such as Vicky Thornley, Olaf Tufte and more.

<h2>Opening ceremony</h2>

The opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will begin around 12pm BST and will continue till 4 pm.

While usually there are always some elements of surprise and air of curiosity around the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, this year’s ceremony will be toned down.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the guest list has been limited to a selected few, including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-jill-biden-emmanuel-macron-arrives-in-japan-for-tokyo-2020-opening-ceremony-399840">First Lady of the United States Jill Biden, and the French President Emmanuel Macron</a>. Due to the fear of COVID-19 in Tokyo, no fans will be allowed to enjoy the games from the Olympic stands this year.

This year, the opening ceremony is hoped to be based on Japan’s influence and place in the world of technology. However, the same has not been confirmed by the authorities yet.

In a first, teams will be entering the opening ceremony as per the Japanese-language order, rather than following the English alphabet as usual. However, like every year, Greece will be entering first as it is the originating Olympic host country, and since the host nation enters last, Japan will be the last team to enter the stadium.

<h1 class="MsoNormal">July 24, Saturday — Day one</h1>

Day one of the Olympic Games after the opening ceremony will host 11 medal events. The events that are scheduled for July 24 are Archery (mixed), cycling (men’s road race at 03:00), fencing (men’s sabre and women’s epee), Judo (women’s 48kg and men’s 60kg), weightlifting for women’s 49 kg category, taekwondo (women’s 49 kg and men’s 58 kg) and shooting (women’s 10m air rifle and men’s 10m air pistol).

In addition to this, men’s artistic gymnastics qualifiers are also scheduled to start from 02:00 till 14:00. Other swimming events, majorly only heats, will also start from Saturday.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have finally started. After being postponed for nearly a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo is ready to host one of the biggest and most controversial games.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have finally started. After being postponed for nearly a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo is ready to host one of the biggest and most controversial games. With the opening ceremony a few hours away, here is a list of main events that will be taking place from July 23 onwards (all time slots are in BST). Tokyo Olympics Live: Indian men archers finish below 30 places July 23, Friday — Day Zero Archery In the morning in Tokyo, archers set out to compete for a ranking round. While this round will not result in anyone’s elimination, it will help determine seeding for women’s and men’s individual tournaments. Rowing A similar rowing competition is also scheduled for the morning which will see the participation of known players such as Vicky Thornley, Olaf Tufte and more. Opening ceremony The opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will begin around 12pm BST and will continue till 4 pm. While usually there are always some elements of surprise and air of curiosity around the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, this year’s ceremony will be toned down. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the guest list has been limited to a selected few, including the First Lady of the United States Jill Biden, and the French President Emmanuel Macron. Due to the fear of COVID-19 in Tokyo, no fans will be allowed to enjoy the games from the Olympic stands this year. This year, the opening ceremony is hoped to be based on Japan’s influence and place in the world of technology. However, the same has not been confirmed by the authorities yet. In a first, teams will be entering the opening ceremony as per the Japanese-language order, rather than following the English alphabet as usual. However, like every year, Greece will be entering first as it is the originating Olympic host country, and since the host nation enters last, Japan will be the last team to enter the stadium. July 24, Saturday — Day one Day one of the Olympic Games after the opening ceremony will host 11 medal events. The events that are scheduled for July 24 are Archery (mixed), cycling (men’s road race at 03:00), fencing (men’s sabre and women’s epee), Judo (women’s 48kg and men’s 60kg), weightlifting for women’s 49 kg category, taekwondo (women’s 49 kg and men’s 58 kg) and shooting (women’s 10m air rifle and men’s 10m air pistol). In addition to this, men’s artistic gymnastics qualifiers are also scheduled to start from 02:00 till 14:00. Other swimming events, majorly only heats, will also start from Saturday.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: A guide of main events schedule and timings

The first-round ties for Tokyo Olympics were revealed exactly 48 hours before players will take the court at Ariake Tennis Park, which starts on Saturday.&nbsp;

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will open against No.139 Hugo Dellien of Bolivia. The World No.1 is endeavoring to become the first man to finish a Golden Slam by winning every one of the four significant tennis competitions and an Olympic singles gold medal in the same year.&nbsp;

Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon and won his 20th Grand Slam title, subsequent to opening the year by winning the Australian Open and French Open.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/director-of-tokyo-olympics-opening-ceremony-ousted-over-past-comments-on-holocaust-399595" hreflang="en">Director of Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony ousted over past comments on Holocaust</a>

Top-seeded Ashleigh Barty, the newly delegated Wimbledon women's champion will make her Olympic debut for Australia against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain. She will additionally be playing doubles with Storm Sanders.&nbsp;

Naomi Osaka's first match in almost two months will come against 52nd-positioned Zheng Saisai of China in the opening round of the Olympic tennis competition.&nbsp;

The second-seeded Osaka, who represents Japan and is one of the top names at the Games, is getting back to rivalry after she walked out of the French Open after being fined and threatened with disqualification for refusing to attend mandatory post-match press conferences over mental health issues.

Defending champion Olympic hero Andy Murray got an extreme opener against fifteenth-positioned Felix Auger Aliassime of Canada, who is seeded 10th.&nbsp;

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We're set. 
 
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> tennis draws in full 👇
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Second-seeded Daniil Medvedev opens against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan and third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas meets Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.&nbsp;

Also, the two singles draws have created a line of captivating first-round matches, including a mouth-watering opener between defending bronze medallist Kei Nishikori and Andrey Rublev, Carla Suarez Navarro's starting against Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, and Wimbledon finalist Hubert Hurkacz taking on Hungary's Marton Fucsovics to name a few.

The first-round ties for Tokyo Olympics were revealed exactly 48 hours before players will take the court at Ariake Tennis Park, which starts on Saturday. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will open against No.

The first-round ties for Tokyo Olympics were revealed exactly 48 hours before players will take the court at Ariake Tennis Park, which starts on Saturday. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic will open against No.139 Hugo Dellien of Bolivia. The World No.1 is endeavoring to become the first man to finish a Golden Slam by winning every one of the four significant tennis competitions and an Olympic singles gold medal in the same year. Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon and won his 20th Grand Slam title, subsequent to opening the year by winning the Australian Open and French Open. ALSO READ: Director of Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony ousted over past comments on Holocaust Top-seeded Ashleigh Barty, the newly delegated Wimbledon women's champion will make her Olympic debut for Australia against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain. She will additionally be playing doubles with Storm Sanders. Naomi Osaka's first match in almost two months will come against 52nd-positioned Zheng Saisai of China in the opening round of the Olympic tennis competition. The second-seeded Osaka, who represents Japan and is one of the top names at the Games, is getting back to rivalry after she walked out of the French Open after being fined and threatened with disqualification for refusing to attend mandatory post-match press conferences over mental health issues. Defending champion Olympic hero Andy Murray got an extreme opener against fifteenth-positioned Felix Auger Aliassime of Canada, who is seeded 10th. We're set. The #Tokyo2020 tennis draws in full 👇 — ITF (@ITFTennis) July 22, 2021 × Second-seeded Daniil Medvedev opens against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan and third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas meets Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. Also, the two singles draws have created a line of captivating first-round matches, including a mouth-watering opener between defending bronze medallist Kei Nishikori and Andrey Rublev, Carla Suarez Navarro's starting against Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, and Wimbledon finalist Hubert Hurkacz taking on Hungary's Marton Fucsovics to name a few.

All you need to know about Tokyo Olympics tennis draws. Novak Djokovic to start against Hugo Dellien

Canada and Australia may be sending some of their biggest&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;teams to the Tokyo&nbsp;Games&nbsp;but only a small fraction will attend Friday's opening ceremony, officials said on Thursday.

Around 30-40 athletes from the 370-strong team will be at the event in a largely empty Tokyo Olympic stadium, bar a few hundred officials, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said.

"Athletes are only arriving in the village five days before they compete," the COC said in a news release. "This means that there are less athletes in the village and that most of them are on the verge of competing.

"The focus of Team Canada remains on safety, performance, and adhering to the letter and spirit of the Tokyo 2020 playbooks."

Basketball player Miranda Ayim and rugby sevens co-captain Nathan Hirayama will be the flag bearers for Canada's biggest Olympic team since the 1984 Los Angeles Summer&nbsp;Games.

The Rio de Janeiro&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;had more than 12,000 athletes and team officials marching in the opening ceremony but with Tokyo's draconian COVID-19 measures it will be a far smaller number.

For&nbsp;Olympics-mad Australia, who have sent their biggest ever team to a&nbsp;Games&nbsp;held overseas, only some 50 athletes from their 470-plus delegation will march.

Team chief Ian Chesterman told athletes to still enjoy the moment despite a lack of spectators and the absence of the usual celebratory atmosphere in the stadium.

"My instruction to the team is to enjoy yourself. It has been a hell of a ride getting here," he told a news conference.

"Just enjoy the moment and soak it up. We are expecting around about 50 athletes to march and we are limited to six officials."

With COVID-19 restrictions having cut athletes' stay short in Tokyo -- they arrive shortly before their competition and leave soon after -- every team must accept a reduction of its team parade numbers.

For triple and long jump Olympic medallist Will Claye it means many fellow American athletes will miss out on a unique experience.

"Just (to) meet and take pictures with some of my idols in the sport," the 30-year-old told reporters, noting that in the past&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;he enjoyed getting the opportunity to spend some time with idols like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

"I think those are the memories that last a lifetime."

Canada and Australia may be sending some of their biggest Olympics teams to the Tokyo Games but only a small fraction will attend Friday's opening ceremony, officials said on Thursday.

Canada and Australia may be sending some of their biggest Olympics teams to the Tokyo Games but only a small fraction will attend Friday's opening ceremony, officials said on Thursday. Around 30-40 athletes from the 370-strong team will be at the event in a largely empty Tokyo Olympic stadium, bar a few hundred officials, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said. "Athletes are only arriving in the village five days before they compete," the COC said in a news release. "This means that there are less athletes in the village and that most of them are on the verge of competing. "The focus of Team Canada remains on safety, performance, and adhering to the letter and spirit of the Tokyo 2020 playbooks." Basketball player Miranda Ayim and rugby sevens co-captain Nathan Hirayama will be the flag bearers for Canada's biggest Olympic team since the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games. The Rio de Janeiro Olympics had more than 12,000 athletes and team officials marching in the opening ceremony but with Tokyo's draconian COVID-19 measures it will be a far smaller number. For Olympics-mad Australia, who have sent their biggest ever team to a Games held overseas, only some 50 athletes from their 470-plus delegation will march. Team chief Ian Chesterman told athletes to still enjoy the moment despite a lack of spectators and the absence of the usual celebratory atmosphere in the stadium. "My instruction to the team is to enjoy yourself. It has been a hell of a ride getting here," he told a news conference. "Just enjoy the moment and soak it up. We are expecting around about 50 athletes to march and we are limited to six officials." With COVID-19 restrictions having cut athletes' stay short in Tokyo -- they arrive shortly before their competition and leave soon after -- every team must accept a reduction of its team parade numbers. For triple and long jump Olympic medallist Will Claye it means many fellow American athletes will miss out on a unique experience. "Just (to) meet and take pictures with some of my idols in the sport," the 30-year-old told reporters, noting that in the past Olympics he enjoyed getting the opportunity to spend some time with idols like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. "I think those are the memories that last a lifetime."

Tokyo Olympics: Canada, Australia to assemble with 10 percent of team at opening ceremony

Australia's world number one Kaylee McKeown will pull out of the women's 200 meters medley at the Olympic Games over a scheduling conflict to focus on backstroke events, the national coach said on Thursday.

McKeown, 20, is ranked number one in three events coming into the Tokyo competition but the medley clashed with the 100m backstrokes, for which a tough competition is expected, head coach Rohan Taylor said.

McKeown's rivalry with Regan Smith is expected to figure prominently in Tokyo after the Australian snatched Smith's 100m backstroke world record at the Australian trials last month.

"You know, you got a rookie coming in and the&nbsp;Olympics, it's going to be a big experience for her, it's a big call," Taylor told reporters.

"They've gone for months talking about it and I respect that decision, they're going to focus on the backstrokes and medley relay."

The withdrawal could be a blow to Australia's hopes of taking on the United States in the pool, with the possible loss of a medal given McKeown's form.

The Queenslander was a highlight of the Olympic trials, setting a world record in the 100 meters backstroke and producing strong performances in both the 200m backstroke and 200m medley.

Taylor said McKeown was a newcomer but would be expected to tackle more events at future Games.

"So it's new to her, and I think emotionally, we need to respect that but if it's something she's not familiar with," he said.

"We need to make sure she's familiar with it because she is such a weapon in so many different facets."

Taylor said the team had had good preparations, with little interruption to training during the coronavirus pandemic.

"They just have that real, real competitive desire," he said.

"We've got a broader mix of depth and the types of athletes that I think can thrive in this environment, but they've got to prove it.

"So until they prove it. Yeah, we're very positive about how we're looking, but that's on paper."

Australia's world number one Kaylee McKeown will pull out of the women's 200 meters medley at the Olympic Games over a scheduling conflict to focus on backstroke events, the national coach said on Thursday.

Australia's world number one Kaylee McKeown will pull out of the women's 200 meters medley at the Olympic Games over a scheduling conflict to focus on backstroke events, the national coach said on Thursday. McKeown, 20, is ranked number one in three events coming into the Tokyo competition but the medley clashed with the 100m backstrokes, for which a tough competition is expected, head coach Rohan Taylor said. McKeown's rivalry with Regan Smith is expected to figure prominently in Tokyo after the Australian snatched Smith's 100m backstroke world record at the Australian trials last month. "You know, you got a rookie coming in and the Olympics, it's going to be a big experience for her, it's a big call," Taylor told reporters. "They've gone for months talking about it and I respect that decision, they're going to focus on the backstrokes and medley relay." The withdrawal could be a blow to Australia's hopes of taking on the United States in the pool, with the possible loss of a medal given McKeown's form. The Queenslander was a highlight of the Olympic trials, setting a world record in the 100 meters backstroke and producing strong performances in both the 200m backstroke and 200m medley. Taylor said McKeown was a newcomer but would be expected to tackle more events at future Games. "So it's new to her, and I think emotionally, we need to respect that but if it's something she's not familiar with," he said. "We need to make sure she's familiar with it because she is such a weapon in so many different facets." Taylor said the team had had good preparations, with little interruption to training during the coronavirus pandemic. "They just have that real, real competitive desire," he said. "We've got a broader mix of depth and the types of athletes that I think can thrive in this environment, but they've got to prove it. "So until they prove it. Yeah, we're very positive about how we're looking, but that's on paper."

Tokyo Olympics: Australia's Kaylee McKeown to withdraw from 200 medley

US&nbsp;First Lady Jill Biden is leading her country's diplomatic delegation to the Tokyo 2020&nbsp;Olympics, sending a message of support to a key Asian ally despite concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden, wearing a red dress and face mask, arrived at Yokota Air Base in Japan on Thursday afternoon and was greeted by Japan's foreign minister and by US&nbsp;and Japanese base officials, at the start of a lengthy visit to Japan.

Olympics&nbsp;and Japanese officials have forged ahead with the sports spectacle despite public opposition in the country to hosting huge numbers of athletes, staff and media - more than 11,000 in the athletes' village alone - dozens of whom have already tested positive&nbsp;for COVID-19.

But US&nbsp;President Joe Biden sees the pandemic-postponed Games as a critical moment for showing support for a longtime ally and trading partner who he hopes will support US&nbsp;efforts to check China's rise, aides said.

Later on Thursday, Jill Biden will have dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko at Akasaka Palace, according to the White House.

On the way, Biden stopped in Alaska to greet military families and encourage vaccination.

Suga is meeting with only about 15 world leaders on the sidelines of the&nbsp;Olympics, compared with up to 120 previously, a spokesperson said. President Biden hosted Suga at the White House in April.

The&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;trip is the first lady's first solo adventure abroad and will include three days on the ground in Japan.

She plans to attend the opening ceremony on Friday, as well as meet with Team USA athletes, US&nbsp;foreign service officers and Japanese Emperor Naruhito.

US First Lady Jill Biden is leading her country's diplomatic delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, sending a message of support to a key Asian ally despite concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

US First Lady Jill Biden is leading her country's diplomatic delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, sending a message of support to a key Asian ally despite concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden, wearing a red dress and face mask, arrived at Yokota Air Base in Japan on Thursday afternoon and was greeted by Japan's foreign minister and by US and Japanese base officials, at the start of a lengthy visit to Japan. Olympics and Japanese officials have forged ahead with the sports spectacle despite public opposition in the country to hosting huge numbers of athletes, staff and media - more than 11,000 in the athletes' village alone - dozens of whom have already tested positive for COVID-19. But US President Joe Biden sees the pandemic-postponed Games as a critical moment for showing support for a longtime ally and trading partner who he hopes will support US efforts to check China's rise, aides said. Later on Thursday, Jill Biden will have dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko at Akasaka Palace, according to the White House. On the way, Biden stopped in Alaska to greet military families and encourage vaccination. Suga is meeting with only about 15 world leaders on the sidelines of the Olympics, compared with up to 120 previously, a spokesperson said. President Biden hosted Suga at the White House in April. The Olympics trip is the first lady's first solo adventure abroad and will include three days on the ground in Japan. She plans to attend the opening ceremony on Friday, as well as meet with Team USA athletes, US foreign service officers and Japanese Emperor Naruhito.

Jill Biden leads US delegation to Tokyo Games amid pandemic fears

The tag of G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) is given to those competitors who have come and ruled their game and set themselves in an alternate echelon contrasted with their competitors.&nbsp;

Gymnast Simone Biles brings out unadulterated bliss as she resists gravity on numerous occasions with beauty and balance.

Regardless of a defective beginning at the preliminaries, she is expected&nbsp;to burst through her opposition to one more gold medal, establishing her status as the best gymnast ever.&nbsp;

Biles&nbsp;has ruled her game like no other, starting when she was still an adolescent.

The 24-year-old US athlete has now been granted a specially designed G.O.A.T Twitter emoticon, which her fans can use during her Tokyo Olympics mission to root for her.&nbsp;

She joins commended stars like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes to have her GOAT emoticon, while likewise being the first woman and Olympian to do so.

The emoji is generated by typing #SimoneBiles or #Simone in Tweets.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Witness greatness 
Tweet with greatness<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SimoneBiles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SimoneBiles</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Simone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Simone</a> <a href="https://t.co/M6RKzP3KB6">pic.twitter.com/M6RKzP3KB6</a>
— Twitter Sports (@TwitterSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterSports/status/1417850103428169730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Biles lately started contending in a leotard enriched with silver rhinestones looking like a goat's head.&nbsp;

"I just hope that kids growing up watching this don't or aren't ashamed of being good at whatever they do," she said.

"I want kids to learn that, yes, it's okay to acknowledge that you're good or even great at something," she added.

Biles, 24, has not lost a competition since 2013 and is aiming to become the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic all-around golds in over 50 years as well as improve on her Rio haul of five medals, four of them gold.

She made two attempts at the Yurchenko Double Pike vault, rolling her landing on the first one but performing the second almost flawlessly, surprising the handful of watching media and officials,&nbsp;including one of her coaches.

The tag of G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) is given to those competitors who have come and ruled their game and set themselves in an alternate echelon contrasted with their competitors.

The tag of G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) is given to those competitors who have come and ruled their game and set themselves in an alternate echelon contrasted with their competitors. Gymnast Simone Biles brings out unadulterated bliss as she resists gravity on numerous occasions with beauty and balance. Regardless of a defective beginning at the preliminaries, she is expected to burst through her opposition to one more gold medal, establishing her status as the best gymnast ever. Biles has ruled her game like no other, starting when she was still an adolescent. The 24-year-old US athlete has now been granted a specially designed G.O.A.T Twitter emoticon, which her fans can use during her Tokyo Olympics mission to root for her. She joins commended stars like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes to have her GOAT emoticon, while likewise being the first woman and Olympian to do so. The emoji is generated by typing #SimoneBiles or #Simone in Tweets. Witness greatness Tweet with greatness#SimoneBiles#Simone pic.twitter.com/M6RKzP3KB6 — Twitter Sports (@TwitterSports) July 21, 2021 × Biles lately started contending in a leotard enriched with silver rhinestones looking like a goat's head. "I just hope that kids growing up watching this don't or aren't ashamed of being good at whatever they do," she said. "I want kids to learn that, yes, it's okay to acknowledge that you're good or even great at something," she added. Biles, 24, has not lost a competition since 2013 and is aiming to become the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic all-around golds in over 50 years as well as improve on her Rio haul of five medals, four of them gold. She made two attempts at the Yurchenko Double Pike vault, rolling her landing on the first one but performing the second almost flawlessly, surprising the handful of watching media and officials, including one of her coaches.

Tokyo Olympics: Simone Biles becomes the first woman athlete to get a G.O.A.T emoticon

The opening ceremony of the pandemic-delayed Games is scheduled for Friday. The ceremony will be held without spectators as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, although some officials, guests, and media will attend.

Tokyo 2020 row: Olympics opening ceremony director fired for Holocaust joke

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) boss John&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;has defended his awkward exchange with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after drawing criticism on Thursday for publicly ordering her to attend the Tokyo Games opening ceremony.

Coates, one of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) most powerful executives, raised eyebrows when he told the premier at a media conference that she needed to attend Friday's ceremony along with other members of Australia's delegation.

The exchange came after Brisbane was named host of the 2032 Olympics.

“You are going to the opening ceremony,"&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;said to Palaszczuk, who travelled to Tokyo as a representative of Brisbane's bid.

"I am still the deputy chair of the candidature leadership group.

"And so far as I understand, there will be an opening and a closing ceremony in 2032, and all of you have got to get along there and understand the traditional parts of that, what’s involved in an opening ceremony.

"So none of you are staying and hiding in your rooms, all right."

Palaszczuk replied: “I don’t want to offend anybody, so..."

Coates's comments triggered outrage on social media, and he was accused of misogyny and "mansplaining" by some Australian media pundits.

"He gave a masterclass in how to be an arrogant powerbroker," academic Jenna Price wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

Former Swimming Australia boss Leigh Russell said the exchange was "disgusting".

"And yet another example of how women are treated in sport,” she wrote on Twitter.

Coates&nbsp;said his comments had been "misinterpreted" by people who were not in the room.

“The premier and I have a long-standing and very successful relationship,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

“We both know the spirit of my remarks and I have no indication that she was offended in any way. Those in doubt should ask her."

Palaszczuk said there were no issues between her and&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;after the exchange.

"Yeah absolutely. He’s fantastic,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“If we didn’t have John&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;this will not have happened," she said of the successful Brisbane bid.

"John&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;has been the driving force behind us securing the Olympics."

Palaszczuk's trip to Japan was criticised by home media who questioned the need for her to be present in Tokyo while around 13 million Australians remain locked down due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

She had said she would not attend any events while in Tokyo apart from the bid team's presentation to the IOC on Wednesday, and would confine herself to her hotel.

Interviewed on an Australian breakfast TV show on the Nine Network on Thursday, Palaszczuk said in relation to the opening ceremony, she would "do whatever John&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;tells me to do."

"I am not going to offend the International Olympic Committee now that we have been awarded the Games," she added.

Coates&nbsp;has led the AOC for over 30 years and played a key role in Brisbane's winning bid.

In 2017, the AOC was hit by allegations of bullying and intimidation made by former staff, including former chief executive Fiona de Jong.

An independent review cleared the AOC of a bullying culture but criticised the conduct of some senior leaders in the organisation.&nbsp;Coates&nbsp;was not among the leaders criticised.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) boss John Coates has defended his awkward exchange with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after drawing criticism on Thursday for publicly ordering her to attend the Tokyo Games opening ceremony.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) boss John Coates has defended his awkward exchange with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after drawing criticism on Thursday for publicly ordering her to attend the Tokyo Games opening ceremony. Coates, one of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) most powerful executives, raised eyebrows when he told the premier at a media conference that she needed to attend Friday's ceremony along with other members of Australia's delegation. The exchange came after Brisbane was named host of the 2032 Olympics. “You are going to the opening ceremony," Coates said to Palaszczuk, who travelled to Tokyo as a representative of Brisbane's bid. "I am still the deputy chair of the candidature leadership group. "And so far as I understand, there will be an opening and a closing ceremony in 2032, and all of you have got to get along there and understand the traditional parts of that, what’s involved in an opening ceremony. "So none of you are staying and hiding in your rooms, all right." Palaszczuk replied: “I don’t want to offend anybody, so..." Coates's comments triggered outrage on social media, and he was accused of misogyny and "mansplaining" by some Australian media pundits. "He gave a masterclass in how to be an arrogant powerbroker," academic Jenna Price wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Former Swimming Australia boss Leigh Russell said the exchange was "disgusting". "And yet another example of how women are treated in sport,” she wrote on Twitter. Coates said his comments had been "misinterpreted" by people who were not in the room. “The premier and I have a long-standing and very successful relationship,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “We both know the spirit of my remarks and I have no indication that she was offended in any way. Those in doubt should ask her." Palaszczuk said there were no issues between her and Coates after the exchange. "Yeah absolutely. He’s fantastic,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “If we didn’t have John Coates this will not have happened," she said of the successful Brisbane bid. "John Coates has been the driving force behind us securing the Olympics." Palaszczuk's trip to Japan was criticised by home media who questioned the need for her to be present in Tokyo while around 13 million Australians remain locked down due to COVID-19 outbreaks. She had said she would not attend any events while in Tokyo apart from the bid team's presentation to the IOC on Wednesday, and would confine herself to her hotel. Interviewed on an Australian breakfast TV show on the Nine Network on Thursday, Palaszczuk said in relation to the opening ceremony, she would "do whatever John Coates tells me to do." "I am not going to offend the International Olympic Committee now that we have been awarded the Games," she added. Coates has led the AOC for over 30 years and played a key role in Brisbane's winning bid. In 2017, the AOC was hit by allegations of bullying and intimidation made by former staff, including former chief executive Fiona de Jong. An independent review cleared the AOC of a bullying culture but criticised the conduct of some senior leaders in the organisation. Coates was not among the leaders criticised.

John Coates slammed for 'mansplaining' to Queensland premier on opening ceremony

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic arrived at the Tokyo Olympics confident of his successes this season.

The Serbian ace&nbsp;underlined that it will not be easy, but sounded certain of his shots at winning the gold medal.&nbsp;

Djokovic, who won his 6th title at Wimbledon and a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title, in general, is the top pick to win the men's singles in Tokyo.&nbsp;

Addressing reporters, Djokovic said it is an "honour" for him to represent his country at the Olympics. He accepted that the numerous successes added to his repertoire this year should place him in an advantageous position in the Japanese capital.&nbsp;

“The schedule is really rough, but I feel that my preparations were good. Also, I won a lot of matches recently, which always gives you extra confidence and energy boost. Playing for my country, it is the highest honour and privilege for me," he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/amid-coronavirus-crisis-tokyo-2020-chief-does-not-rule-out-cancellation-of-olympics-399237" hreflang="en">Amid coronavirus crisis, Tokyo 2020 chief does not rule out cancellation of Olympics</a>

Djokovic has won the ATP Cup and the Davis Cup in earlier years and has now focused on getting a gold medal for Serbia at the Olympics.&nbsp;

"I am an individual athlete, rarely we have the occasion to be a team. I am grateful because we were able to win the ATP Cup and Davis Cup, and I am missing Olympic gold now. I have the highest ambitions in Tokyo, it is not a secret that I am aiming for the gold medal,” he added.

Djokovic&nbsp;highlighted that he never made it to the men's singles final in three editions of the Olympic Games.&nbsp;

He noted that the Olympics is a long competition where 'anything' can happen.&nbsp;

“Although some players from the top are not coming, there are also a lot of elite players fighting for medals: Medvedev, Tsitsipas, and Zverev are among the favorites. They are the best, but it is a long tournament, and anything can happen," he said.

Djokovic said that although the Olympics is unique in relation to different competitions, he would approach the opposition as he would some other competition.&nbsp;

“Furthermore, Olympics are specific in terms of pressure, expectations and emotions &nbsp;everything is different compared to other tournaments and I know that very well, I felt it on my own skin in the past. Therefore, I will try to approach the Olympics in the same way that I approach other tournaments, so that I can stay focused on my goal,” he concluded.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic arrived at the Tokyo Olympics confident of his successes this season. The Serbian ace underlined that it will not be easy, but sounded certain of his shots at winning the gold medal.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic arrived at the Tokyo Olympics confident of his successes this season. The Serbian ace underlined that it will not be easy, but sounded certain of his shots at winning the gold medal. Djokovic, who won his 6th title at Wimbledon and a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title, in general, is the top pick to win the men's singles in Tokyo. Addressing reporters, Djokovic said it is an "honour" for him to represent his country at the Olympics. He accepted that the numerous successes added to his repertoire this year should place him in an advantageous position in the Japanese capital. “The schedule is really rough, but I feel that my preparations were good. Also, I won a lot of matches recently, which always gives you extra confidence and energy boost. Playing for my country, it is the highest honour and privilege for me," he said. ALSO READ: Amid coronavirus crisis, Tokyo 2020 chief does not rule out cancellation of Olympics Djokovic has won the ATP Cup and the Davis Cup in earlier years and has now focused on getting a gold medal for Serbia at the Olympics. "I am an individual athlete, rarely we have the occasion to be a team. I am grateful because we were able to win the ATP Cup and Davis Cup, and I am missing Olympic gold now. I have the highest ambitions in Tokyo, it is not a secret that I am aiming for the gold medal,” he added. Djokovic highlighted that he never made it to the men's singles final in three editions of the Olympic Games. He noted that the Olympics is a long competition where 'anything' can happen. “Although some players from the top are not coming, there are also a lot of elite players fighting for medals: Medvedev, Tsitsipas, and Zverev are among the favorites. They are the best, but it is a long tournament, and anything can happen," he said. Djokovic said that although the Olympics is unique in relation to different competitions, he would approach the opposition as he would some other competition. “Furthermore, Olympics are specific in terms of pressure, expectations and emotions everything is different compared to other tournaments and I know that very well, I felt it on my own skin in the past. Therefore, I will try to approach the Olympics in the same way that I approach other tournaments, so that I can stay focused on my goal,” he concluded.

Tokyo Olympics: It is not secret that I'm aiming for gold at Tokyo Olympics, says Novak Djokovic

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