Tennis athlete Kwon Soon-woo goes to Tokyo Olympic Games

Promising South Korean tennis player Kwon Soon-woo joins the Tokyo Olympics as the first South Korean tennis player in the Olympics in 13 years.

“The International Tennis Foundation notified us that Kwon will participate in men’s singles in the Tokyo Olympics,” said the Korean Tennis Association on Wednesday. Following Lee Hyung-Taek in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Kwon became the first South Korean tennis athlete to join the Olympics.

Kwon failed to gain a ticket to men’s singles by staying at 77th place in international rankings as only 56 top players are allowed to join the Olympics. However, as some high rankers gave up due to injuries, etc., the 24-year-old Korean luckily grabbed a remaining ticket to the Olympics.

Kwon on Wednesday rose to the quarterfinal of the ATP Tour Biking International in Eastbourne by wining Hungarian opponent Marton Fucsovics by 2-1 in the second round of singles’ games. He plans to join major tennis tournament Wimbledon in London on Monday.


Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com