Yoshihito Nishioka

[Damian]

Japanese star Yoshihito Nishioka edged South African Lloyd Harris 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to earn consecutive tour-level wins for the first time since Roland Garros in June.

The World No. 46 produced a strong serving performance at the ATP 250 event, winning 81 per cent (42/52) of points behind his first delivery and not facing a break point to advance after two hours and seven minutes.

Nishioka, who reached the last eight in Adelaide earlier this season, will face Jan-Lennard Struff in his second tour-level quarter-final of the season. Struff defeated Chilean Cristian Garin 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in two hours and two minutes. The third-seeded German is playing in his first event since Halle in June after being sidelined with a hip injury.

Despite his three-month absence, Struff showed signs of why he rose to a career-high No. 21 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings earlier this year, timing the ball cleanly off both wings to overpower Garin.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/khachan ... 023-friday

[Damian]

[Damian]

Next up will be another lefty, Yoshihito Nishioka. The eighth seed eliminated third seed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 30 minutes.

The Japanese star saved four of the five break points he faced and is two wins from lifting an ATP Tour trophy for the second consecutive year after triumphing in Seoul in 2022.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/khachan ... 023-sunday

[Damian]

[Damian]

Nishioka defeated Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 6-4 to reach his first tour-level final since he won the title in Seoul in 2022.

The 27-year-old was sharp on return, winning 65 per cent (17/26) of points on Karatsev's second delivery. Nishioka also limited mistakes, committing just five unforced errors to advance after one hour and 54 minutes.

Nishioka is trying to win his third tour-level trophy and second in China, having triumphed in Shenzhen in 2018. The lefty is up eight spots to No. 38 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/khachan ... 23-tuesday

[Damian]

Captain Nishioka’s First Flight! Japanese Star On Off-Court Action & ‘Yoshi’s Cup’

Spoiler:

World No. 45 founded annual tournament for promising juniors in Japan
Editor's Note: This story was originally published on 16 August 2023.

Yoshihito Nishioka, Action Man.

Life on the ATP Tour involves enough time spent practising, preparing, and recovering from competing that off-court escapes have become all-important for the Japanese star. The 2023 season has been no exception for Nishioka, whose experiences this year include flying a plane through the skies above Phoenix, Arizona, in March.

“It was my first time flying [a plane]," Nishioka told ATPTour.com earlier this year. "The person who was sitting with me, he just got a licence and he wanted me to sit by him. It was really great. I cannot do that in Japan, so it was really fun.

“I love Phoenix because the nature is beautiful. Sometimes a bit too hot and very dry, but I love nature. for like five minutes. We flew for two hours, but he said, ‘Okay, there is nothing around this area, so you can do it’. I tried. It was so scary, but it was a good experience.”


A two-time ATP Tour champion, Nishioka feels non-tennis activities are essential to maintain a healthy balance for players who spend much of the year on the road.

“You cannot be always focused,” said the 27-year-old. “We need some time to relax, to play the next week or the next tournament. That kind of thing is very important for us and we can appreciate it, too.”

That even applies to days off during tournament weeks. A couple of weeks after Nishioka touched down safely in Phoenix, he was gliding across the waves off the Miami coast on a jetski during his stay at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

“We’re [often] looking for something that we can do in tournament time,” said Nishioka. “I need to relax sometimes when we have a day off. So we're always looking for something and it's always enjoyable. I don't want to get too tired, like doing something for the whole day. But a couple of hours or something, that should be great.”


Nishioka's off-court activities aren't all adrenaline-fuelled outings. As the leading Japanese player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, his desire to see his nation continue to develop top talent led to him founding ‘Yoshi’s Cup’, an annual tournament in Tokyo, in cooperation with a TV company.

“It was during COVID time. So many juniors lost many tournaments, even within Japan,” explained Nishioka. “So they were practising, but they had no motivation to practise because they didn't have any tournaments.

“So I wanted to open up the tournament. I have a name in Japan for tennis, so I thought if I do that, maybe it will interest [the juniors]. It was only supposed to be one time, but after we did it some other people who helped with my tournament and love tennis said, ‘Actually, this is very good for tennis in Japan. So we think we should keep doing this every year and keep improving the tournament’. I can only do it one time a year, but it should be very helpful for juniors."


With help from coaches from the Japanese Tennis Federation, Nishioka selects eight junior boys, who must all be aged 16 or under, to compete in an event that is streamed live on his YouTube channel. More than 2000 people have tuned in to watch at times and, with all expenses paid and significant prize money on offer, this is no ordinary junior event. But Nishioka says this is for a good reason.

“In Japan we are far away from anywhere. If we have to go somewhere like the U.S. or Europe, it is very expensive,” he said. “For the tournaments for juniors under 16, they cannot go by themselves, so they need someone to go with them, a parent or a coach, and the price is going to double. So I want to give support for this. I want to give a chance to somebody who is very talented. I'm not certain they can be a great player, but they can use a chance. I want to give this chance.

“So, this tournament has prize money. Every year, it's improving by $10,000. This year's winner can get $30,000, so it is huge money for a junior if they get it. I also give an [ITF World Tennis Tour] Futures wild card in Japan. So it’s not only for a junior, but one who wants to be a pro. I want to give the chance to play some professional tournaments.”

As he prepares to take on Alexander Zverev in the second round at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, some may ask why Nishioka has already started such a big off-court project that could potentially distract him during the peak of his pro career. In fact, says the 27-year-old, his current status as a Top 50 player makes it the perfect time.

“I'm doing it now because I have a profile in Japan right now for tennis,” said Nishioka. “So if I ask someone [for something], they might listen to what I say. But if I finish my career, maybe they don't listen, or other players will have a stronger profile. Now I have value [to make things happen] and I want to move [the project along], so I'm asking many companies to invest in tennis.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nishiok ... 23-feature

[Lucas]

[DUN I LOVE]

Pocieszny ten Nishioka. @no-handed backhand

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Barty]

Finał w Zhuhai.

5. zawodowy finał Nishioki (2-3).

Yoshihito Nishioka - przegrane finały (3):
2023 (1) Zhuhai
2022 (1) Waszyngton
2020 (1) Delray Beach

[DUN I LOVE]

Jakoś kompletnie mi umknęło, że taki pachoł był w finale Waszyngtonu.

[Damian]

[no-handed backhand]

Pocieszny ten Nishioka. @no-handed backhand

Uroczy malec.

[Damian]

[Damian]

The 22-year-old Sinner will next take on Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, who downed #NextGenATP home favourite Shang Juncheng 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. The Italian, a titlist this year in Montpellier and Toronto, is now 16-1 for the season in opening matches at tour-level events.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/medvede ... 023-friday

[Damian]

[Damian]

YOSHIHITO NISHIOKA ON THE BENEFITS OF A HIGHER RANKING – “Before I was seeded at Grand Slams, I was looking at the draw ceremony and thinking that I didn’t want to play Djokovic or Medvedev and those top players. Now that I’m seeded, I don’t have to think about that and then I can focus on my tennis for the first few rounds.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tennis- ... dcast-2023

[Damian]

[Damian]

There were also wins for Yoshihito Nishioka, Yannick Hanfmann and Thanasi Kokkinakis early on Day 1 at the Qizhong Tennis Center. Nishioka defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) to advance to face Casper Ruud, while Hanfmann pulled through 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-3 against qualifier James Duckworth and will next play Christopher Eubanks.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/lajovic ... -wednesday