Kei Nishikori

[DUN I LOVE]

To będzie 3. kolejny występ Japończyka na WTF. Dotychczas najlepiej wypadł w swoim debiucie w 2014 roku, kiedy dotarł do półfinału. 3-4 to bilans spotkań w O2 Arena.

[Damian]

Finał w Bazylei.


Tennis Now

Kei znowu na tarczy. Po przegranych finałach w Miami, Barcelonie i Toronto poległ w meczu o tytuł w Bazylei. Nishikori przegrał swój 9. finał w karierze (11-9), 4. w trwającym sezonie (1-4).

Kei Nishikori - przegrane finały (9):
2016 (4) Basel, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Toronto, Barcelona, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami
2015 (1) Acapulco
2014 (2) US Open, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madryt
2011 (2) Basel, Houston

[DUN I LOVE]

Kei dołączył dziś do grona tenisistów z 300 wygranymi meczami na poziomie ATP.

[Damian]

[Lucas]

Nishikori Claims 300th Win

Spoiler:

Fifth seed Kei Nishikori kept up his good run of form and claimed his 300th tour-level win with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Viktor Troicki on Wednesday to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.

"I think it's a great number," said Nishikori. "I think this year has been pretty good. I have been winning a lot of matches and playing a lot of tournaments. Every year I feel like I'm getting strong, so I'm happy with performance right now."

The Japanese star, who is coming off his fifth ATP World Tour final of the season in Basel last week (l. to Cilic), twice let slip a break advantage in the second set before breaking Troicki decisively in the 11th game to claim victory in 74 minutes. Nishikori has a 300-138 career-mark, including a personal-best 57 match wins this season.

"I think it was a good match to start the tournament," said Nishikori. "Second set there were many up and downs. We both had many breaks, and maybe I could have finished it a little easier, but he started playing better in certain moments. It wasn't an easy match, but I'm happy to win."

The 26-year-old Nishikori made a successful return to action last week after being forced to retire in Tokyo and withdraw from Shanghai due to a hip injury. The right-hander, a former semi-finalist in Paris, is looking for another strong showing in the French capital ahead of his third appearance at the upcoming Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

No. 13 seed Lucas Pouille battled past Feliciano Lopez to reach the third round with a 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4 victory in just over two hours. The Frenchman can no longer qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, following Marin Cilic’s second-round win earlier, but is looking for a big finish to what has been a career-best season.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nis ... -wednesday

[Lucas]

You Think Kei Is Popular Now?

Spoiler:

Kei Nishikori can fill a stadium without even playing a match. Anyone who had imagined that the Japanese public’s love and hysteria for Nishikori couldn’t possibly become any more intense – that peak-Kei had already been established – was made to reconsider during this season’s Tokyo tournament. That was when one of his practice sessions drew an audience of more than 9,000.
That figure even astounded some of the tournament’s organisers (who have seen some hysteria in their time, having previously not publicised his training schedule for fear of a crush). It would seem we have reached a new level of intensity in the relationship between Nishikori and his public – you suspect that crowds will now gather in Tokyo if all he is doing is tidying his drink bottles, or tying and retying his shoelaces. And you think it’s going to stop here? Already the most celebrated Asian player in history, and someone who can’t go anywhere in Japan without some “craziness”, Nishikori seemingly still has some way to travel when it comes to his fame and celebrity.
Why, winning this week’s Barclays ATP Worlds Tour Finals, which would be the most significant title of his tennis life, would only add to his standing in Japan, where he will be one of the faces of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (which will only mean more billboards, magazine covers, television commercials and social media buzz). There are dozens of Japanese journalists in Greenwich who are covering every move that Nishikori makes, on and off this indoor hard court: Whatever happens in London will captivate millions in Tokyo and beyond, especially in Shimane, where he was born.
It’s sometimes said that Andy Murray has more pressure loaded on to his shoulders, and into his racquet bag, than any other truly elite player on the ATP World Tour. After all, he’s the only one who is the prime focus at a home Grand Slam, with Wimbledon such a stressful experience for him that during the run-in he often breaks out in mouth ulcers.

But, for all that, it’s a moot point whether it’s Murray or Nishikori who has to deal with the greatest scrutiny and expectation from his nation. Imagine if Murray stumbled through his opening round at Wimbledon, and then retired from his second match because of injury, and you can appreciate the levels of despair and disappointment in Tokyo last month as that’s how Nishikori’s tournament played out. Like Murray, Nishikori’s development as a tennis player has included learning to be comfortable as a public figure. No wonder, then, that Nishikori bases himself in Florida – where he can stroll the streets without a disguise – to protect himself from the madness: “It’s difficult in Tokyo – I have to wear sunglasses, a hat, a mask, everything.”
According to his coach Michael Chang, Nishikori is naturally “on the shy, quiet side – although he does become a bit more talkative around his Japanese friends”. “For the most part, I just tell Kei that dealing with the pressure is just part of the territory for being one of the best in the world,” says Chang. “You need to find a balance in your life and to keep things in perspective. You have to ask yourself how important it is what everyone else is saying about you. And, more importantly, you have to ask yourself how much pressure you’re putting on yourself, and whether that’s the right thing to be doing.”
Nishikori’s fame grew quickly in 2014 when he became the first Asian man to appear in a Grand Slam singles final (he was the runner-up to Croatia’s Marin Cilic at that year’s US Open) and then the first Asian man to play singles at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Impressing as a debutant at The O2, he made the last four that year, with his semi-final watched by 10 million people in Japan. He qualified once again last November, though on that occasion he didn’t make it out of his group.
The only Japanese in history to be ranked in the Top 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, he has played some fine tennis this season, which brought him the title in Memphis for a fourth successive year, as well as runner-up finishes at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Miami and Toronto and appearances in the finals of the ATP World Tour 500 events in Barcelona and Basel, plus a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics and a victory over Murray in the quarter-finals of the US Open (and that was when the Briton was on the best run of his career, after winning Wimbledon and the Olympics). With every point, game, set and match that Nishikori wins, his followers grow ever more committed.
Living in the United States allows Nishikori to focus on his training (with sessions that don’t attract thousands). As he has said, “nobody cares about me there in Florida… If I stayed in Japan, I think I would just go crazy. By living in the United States, I can concentrate on my tennis and I can practise and play all day, and that’s something you have to do. If I was living in Japan, there would be lots of things that I wouldn’t be able to do.
“You have to keep on training hard and not allow yourself to be distracted, and to remind yourself you’re working hard because you’re chasing a dream. You also have to remember that you’re playing for yourself and not for anyone else – that helps you to deal with the pressures.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nis ... -programme

[Damian]

Nishikori Aims For Strong Finish In London

Spoiler:

Japanese star aiming for strong finish
Kei Nishikori is looking forward to competing at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and is hoping to see his Japanese compatriots turn out in force at The O2 in London. “It’s always nice to have Japanese fans in the stadium,” said Nishikori. “I love seeing the Japanese flags. It brings a great atmosphere, in such a great arena. It’s fantastic.”
With a 57-18 match record – tied-third with Dominic Thiem for most match wins on the ATP World Tour in 2016 – Nishikori is aiming to close out the year in style, on his third season finale appearance.
Nishikori has been drawn in Group John McEnroe alongside Andy Murray (2-7 FedEx ATP Head2Head), Marin Cilic (7-5) and Wawrinka (2-4). He is hoping to draw on his performances against Murray in this year’s Davis Cup and US Open quarter-finals, and also against Wawrinka at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
“It’s a very tough group,” said Nishikori. “I’m playing Stan [Wawrinka], who is having a great year, in my first match [on Monday]. Andy is the new No. 1 [in the Emirates ATP Rankings] and Marin [Cilic] is also in form. But I’m getting used to playing here, this is my third appearance, and it is a big goal for me to do well. It is a great opportunity for me to finish a great season.
”The Davis Cup match [in March] was a turning point for me, even though I lost the match against Andy. I didn’t feel I had much of a chance to win, although I almost beat him [in five sets] and it gave me a lot of confidence. To beat him at the US Open was my second win over him. It showed me that I could play with a lot of patience and confidence over five sets. I was able to play good tennis.”
Nishikori, who has compiled a 1-4 record in ATP World Tour finals, including a recent runner-up finish to Cilic in the Swiss Indoors Basel final, has practised in London this week with Gael Monfils, Dominic Thiem and Marcelo Melo. He has a 4-10 record against Top 10 opponents in the Emirates ATP Rankings this year.
On his debut at the 2014 season finale, his semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic was watched by 10 million people on TV Asahi in Japan. He’ll be hoping for the same level of support, if he is to make a similar impact, this year.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nis ... 16-preview

[Barty]

[Damian]

[Lucas]

2016 w liczbach:

Ranking: 5
Bilans meczów: 58-21
Tytuły: 1 (Memphis)
Finały: 4 (Basel, Montreal, Barcelona, Miami)
Zarobki: $4,804,963

[DUN I LOVE]

Kei w 2017 nie bedzie już grał w butach Adidasa. Kontrakt sponsorski nie został odnowiony.

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Lucas]

8.01.2017 Finał w Brisbane



W swoim pierwszym występie w nowym sezonie Kei dotarł do finału imprezy w Brisbane, gdzie uległ dobrze dysponowanemu Grigorowi Dimitrowowi w trzech setach. Japończyk pogorszył bilans występów w meczach konczących turnieje i obecnie wynosi on 11-10.

[Damian]

Can Kei Nishikori finally join tennis' exclusive group?

Spoiler:

BRADENTON, Fla. -- A measured approach isn't a new philosophy for a professional tennis player, but in Kei Nishikori's world, it's a strategy he hopes will lead him to a breakthrough season.

He isn't the type to make brash predictions, although after a successful 2016 campaign in which he ended No. 5 in the world, Nishikori should be feeling confident as this season begins.

"There are many things to do to get better [in order] to win a Grand Slam, but I think I'm getting closer every year," Nishikori said recently at IMG Academy, his longtime training home. "Especially [last] year -- 2016 was very consistent for me. It's the first time I think I've played good tennis all through the year. I think it was a big step for me. Hopefully [this] year, I can make a big jump."

Indeed, last year was notable for Nishikori in myriad ways. He defeated Rafael Nadal to win Olympic bronze in Rio, the first time a player from Japan has ever won a medal in tennis. He won the Memphis Open for the fourth consecutive time and reached the final in four other tournaments. He reached the semifinals of the US Open, losing to eventual champion Stan Wawrinka, and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Having just turned 27, the window of opportunity for Nishikori to win his first Grand Slam championship appears to be opening.


Although he's No. 5 in the world, Kei Nishikori has still reached only one Grand Slam final. -SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images
The top two players in the ATP world rankings, Andy Murray and Djokovic, both turn 30 this year. No. 4 Stan Wawrinka will turn 32 in March. Although few observers would predict a steep decline from that terrific trio, which has combined to win each of the past eight Grand Slams, it's worth noting that Grand Slam titles at that age are a rarity. Roger Federer and Wawrinka are the only 30-somethings to win a Grand Slam tournament since 2003.

Still, it won't be easy to join a highly exclusive group.

Going all the way back to 2010, the only players to have won Grand Slam titles are Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Federer, Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic, who defeated Nishikori in the 2014 US Open final. That's a mere six players who have hoarded the past 28 Grand Slam titles. Additionally, Nishikori will have to contend with world No. 3 Milos Raonic, 26, is also seeking his first Grand Slam title.

"I think [Kei] still has so much potential," said Dante Bottini, who has coached Nishikori since 2010. "If you ask me, yeah, I think he can reach the top. But it's a really tough thing to do. He needs to keep working. I think he still has two or three more years to try and reach it. He's been playing better and better and growing. Physically, he's at his best."

Nishikori will need to balance his aggressive style with a mixture of prudence and poise. He began playing a more aggressively after adding former world No. 2 Michael Chang as an adviser in 2013, but he knows there's a big difference between aggressiveness and recklessness.

"Before that, sometimes I was waiting for a mistake from the opponent," Nishikori said. "I'm very comfortable playing this way now. That's something I have to do to beat the top players. There has to be balance, and I think I'm getting better and better."

EDITOR'S PICKS

2017 men's predictions: The return of vintage Federer
He's the youngest 35-year-old in the history of tennis and resolute in his mission to return to top form. That's why Roger Federer will win his 18th Grand Slam title in 2017.

2017 women's predictions: Serena will pass Steffi, but when?
Considering the whirlwind that was 2016, what's in store this season on the WTA tour? And more specifically, what should we expect from Serena Williams?
Said Bottini: "The idea is for him to play patient-aggressive. Obviously, if he has the right shot, go for it. If you miss it, that's OK. Don't worry about it. Sometimes in different moments of the match, you get a little more excited or nervous, and you make the wrong decision. But that's a part of learning."

Nishikori opened 2017 with a three-set victory Wednesday over Jared Donaldson at the Brisbane International. Of course, the first big test of the year begins in less than two weeks at the Australian Open. Nishikori has reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne three times, including last year, when he lost to Djokovic.


In February, Nishikori will play ATP events in South America for the first time in five years, in lieu of appearances at Memphis and Acapulco. He returns to Buenos Aires, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2012 before losing to Wawrinka. Nishikori is then slated to play the Rio Open for the first time in his career. After that, he will take a week off to gear up for the masters events at Indian Wells and Miami.

Forbes ranked Nishikori at No. 82 on its 2016 list of the world's highest-paid celebrities, ahead of luminaries such as Usain Bolt, Brad Pitt and Gisele Bundchen. But those close to him say he's diligent about avoiding any distractions associated with the trappings of fame and wealth.

"He's a very focused young man, and he wants to make history," said Nishikori's agent, Olivier van Lindonk. "That's where his focus is, not on money or endorsements. The goal is to put him in a position where he can perform well. We want no regrets. Whether he's going to win 10 Grand Slams or no Grand Slams, we want him to look back and say, 'OK, we did everything we could to put him in a position to perform as well as possible.'"

http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/1 ... sive-group

[grzes430]

[Lucas]

Kei Nishikori pre-tournament press conference.AO 17

Spoiler:

Q. You're in the same quarter as Murray and Federer. After your Brisbane performance, how confident are you that you can go deep in the Australian Open?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it was great run last week in Brisbane. First time to get a final. So I'm really happy with my start of the year. Yeah, we'll see. Have a tough first round. Try to play one match at a time. Yeah, hope I can make to second week.

Q. How are you feeling physically at the moment? Obviously you have an off-season. It's an unusual schedule in a way that you finish your long year, have a break, then suddenly you have one of the biggest events of the year straightaway.
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, feeling pretty good. I had a good off-season. I rest a lot before I do the training session. Had a good off-season, you know. Good training, good practicing. I thought I, you know, started well this year.

So, yeah, it's going to be really important how I do here to get a lot of confidence for start of the season. Yeah, feeling pretty good after I hurt in Brisbane in the final, but I feeling pretty good.

Q. You've obviously been a top-10 player now for quite a long time. What do you think you're still capable of doing in this sport?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, yeah, it's been three years now maybe to be in top 10. Well, I got really mentally strong. I think I'm more consistent and much more mature for everything, you know, even off the court, on the court too.

Yeah, everything is getting better now.

Q. Do you think you can win one of these tournaments? You reached a Grand Slam final. From what you've seen of your level, and everybody else's level, do you think you can win a Grand Slam?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, yeah, that's what I believe in myself. I hope I can get a Grand Slam title sometimes. But I haven't get big title yet, even the Masters tournaments. That's something what I need for my confidence and experience.

Yeah, my goal this year is to win a big tournament.

Comments

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/inter ... 40117.html

[Damian]

AO Expert: Nishikori packs a punch

Spoiler:

Why hit a backhand when you can hit a forehand?

On the surface, the two strokes seem very even, and you may even think that for players with two hands on the grip, the backhand may even be superior.

Think again. Forehands rule. Backhands drool.

In the opening round of the 2015 US Open, forehand winners accounted for 67 per cent of groundstroke winners in the men’s draw. At Australian Open 2016, it was up slightly to 68 per cent. After the first round in Melbourne this year, it’s 71 per cent. The blue-chip stock keeps rising.

Kei Nishikori has one of the best backhands in the world, but he understands these metrics as well as anyone, and is always on the prowl to upgrade from a backhand to a more potent forehand in the ad court.

Nishikori moved through to the third round of Australian Open 2017 on Wednesday afternoon with a 6-3 6-4 6-3 victory over Jeremy Chardy. The run-around forehand laid the groundwork early on.

In the opening game with Chardy serving at 30-30, Nishikori’s feet and forehand simply took over. It started with a forehand return and a regular cross forehand from the deuce court. Then a forehand from the middle of the court was followed by a forehand struck all the way from the ad court alley. The next forehand, a run-around in the middle of the ad court, was hit for a winner back behind Chardy.

Hitting five consecutive forehands in a rally is almost impossible to defend.

Nishikori hit a backhand winner on the next point, simply because he didn’t have the time to get around it and upgrade to a forehand. The match was only six points old, but already well on the way to completion.



Nishikori totaled nine forehand winners and seven backhand winners against Chardy. On the other side of the net, the Frenchman notched 12 forehand winners of his own, but just two from his backhand wing.

In order to tap into the superior analytics that the forehand provides, it requires a combination of commitment to the strategy, and then having the speed around the court to pull it off.

Gallery: Big in Japan

Nishikori is the master of “interior footwork” – the small adjusting steps to the ball that create perfect spacing and explosive energy for the shot. If you watch the ball in a Nishikori match, you miss half the magic. Shortly after contact, with the ball on the other side of the net, Nishikori’s feet never stop churning, evaluating the balance and shot selection of his opponent so he can predict where it will come back, and already be waiting there in ambush.

Nishikori’s first two matches this year provided the necessary ingredients required for a deep run Down Under. The first round was a five-set scare against Andrey Kuznetsov, testing the nerves and resolve of the Japanese star. The second round was an opportunity to take a deep breath, relax, and play with the aggressive margin he is renowned for.

Nishikori now plays Slovakian qualifier Lukas Lacko in the third round, and if he dare look ahead, names such as Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych loom large.

Enjoy the ruthless efficiency of Nishikori’s backhand, but pay special note every time he runs around it in the ad court to hit a forehand. He is simply putting down a good weapon and picking up a better one.

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/artic ... punch.html

[Damian]

Nishikori Embraces The Argentinian Experience

Spoiler:

Japanese star takes in a culinary delight of Buenos Aires
Kei Nishikori is relishing his time back in Buenos Aires for the first time in five years. Guided by his coach, Dante Bottini, the Shimane native has done one of the most compulsory experiences that a visitor has to do: having a nice ‘asado’, an Argentinian roast.
“This country is great and there are so many things that you can do. Yesterday I had a great steak. It was really tasty,” the No. 1 seed said.
“I am really excited to be back here. Dante has been helping me a lot, especially on clay courts, and for me it is very special to be here because he is from Argentina.”
It was Bottini’s idea for the then 17th-ranked Nishikori to come to Buenos Aires in 2012. While so many people would see him as the perfect player for hard courts, his coach saw the possibilities on clay. He was right.
Over the past five seasons, Nishikori has been improving steadily on the clay as a consistent Top 10 player challenging the ‘Big Four’. He served notice on the clay with back-to-back titles in Barcelona (2014-2015), where he also played the final last year (l. to Nadal). And also in 2014, the Japanese player was runner-up at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Nishikori returns to competition after losing to eventual Australian Open champion Roger Federer in the fourth round at Melbourne Park. “It was a tough loss”, Nishikori said.
“I learned many things after that match and I just tried to keep going, keep practising and just hoping to have a great result here. Would be great for my confidence.”
Despite the tough loss, it was not enough to keep him from watching the final. “It was a great match,” he said.
“It could have gone either way and both Rafa and Roger were playing great tennis. I am just happy to see them back in a final.”
Nishikori wants to build up his confidence. And with a scheduling change, now is the time to try the Buenos Aires-Rio de Janeiro swing.
“It’s a big change for me but I love playing on clay courts. I think it can be a good preparation for Europe,” he said. “I want to win these two tournaments."

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nis ... 017-monday

[Damian]