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Kei's news thread

Nishikori's ground-breaking run ended by Del Potro

By Simon Cambers, NEW YORK (Reuters) 2/09/2008

Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori's ground-breaking U.S. Open run came to an end in the fourth round on Monday with a 6-3 6-4 6-3 defeat by fellow young gun Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina.

The 18-year-old, the first Japanese man to reach the last 16 in the U.S. Open since 1937, was outgunned by Del Potro, the 17th seed who extended his winning streak to 23 matches.

Del Potro, 19, will now play either sixth seed Andy Murray of Britain or Swiss 10th seed Stanislas Wawrinka.

Nishikori, in just his second grand slam event, had beaten fourth seed David Ferrer in the previous round but found Del Potro, who has won his past four tournaments, too tough.

Read more

Re: Kei's news thread

Quote:

Q. Obviously you had a great year in 2008 and a good run in this tournament, too. So many people are talking about you. I'm wondering, do you think it is because you are a rising star or simply you're coming from Asia, because we don't have so many male players, good players that are Asian at this time?

KEI NISHIKORI: I'm sorry, what's the question again?

Q. We don't have so many good players in Asia especially male, so many people are talking about you because you had a great year. Do you think it is because that you are rising star or the reason is you come from Asia?

KEI NISHIKORI: My base is in U.S., in Florida, and I'm practicing with international players, from Europe and so I don't know. It doesn't mean because I'm Asian. I don't really think about it. Yeah.

Q. So do you consider yourself as rising star or someone who can enter into top 10 someday?

KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah.

Q. You have the confidence, right?

KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah. Like now, no, but I'm playing well this year from Delray Beach. But I had so many injuries this year, like couple times my back, my stomach. So I got to work on more like take care of my body. Less injury then, yeah, I can get more ranking higher.

Q. What do you take away from this tournament, your experience here?

KEI NISHIKORI: I think I get more confidence from this week. I beat Monaco first round and I was almost cramping. I think get me mentally strong and beat Ferrer two days ago.

Yeah, get confidence I think.

Q. You are a young star, I would say, so do you have any particular players that you are looking up to or someone that you admire?

KEI NISHIKORI: Roger and Nadal. I like how Nadal plays, and Roger, too. He can do everything and play so smart.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to be.

Q. In your mind, you're going to stay and live in Florida, or it's possible one day you come back in Japan?

KEI NISHIKORI: Right now, I just bought a house in Florida, so, yeah, my base I think in U.S. is couple years.

Q. What do you know of the history, tennis history in Japan? Do you have a model, a Japanese player that you followed?

KEI NISHIKORI: Shuzo. I know he made Wimbledon quarters. He teach me so many things when I was young, I was like 12, 13. And, yeah, I'm trying to beat his career.

Q. How would you evaluate tonight's match? You were able to get your racquet on a lot of balls that he hit. Did he overwhelm you? He was so big and serving so hard. How did you feel?

KEI NISHIKORI: I was a little tired, obviously, and my mentally more tired. At the same time, he was playing really well. He didn't miss any balls. He was just playing well.

But I was just waiting his mistake. I couldn't use my forehand. Yeah, I just waiting his mistake.

Q. By the time of next year's US Open, where do you hope to be by then as far as your career, your accomplishments?

KEI NISHIKORI: I don't know. I'm pretty happy right now, because I tried to pass first round. That was my goal.

I don't know about next year. Hopefully I'm stay healthy and playing well.

Yeah, make quarters next year, I hope.

Q. You have a lot of Japanese fans, of course, but do you feel any pressure from the fans and expectation in Japan and here at all?

KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it was so fun, even two days ago. So many crowds said my name a lot.

Yeah, was really excited. It was so much fun.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/int...321962999.html

Re: Kei's news thread

Kei is ranked career high #81 this week!! :yippee:

Re: Kei's news thread

Kei will give tennis lessons to selected young kids in Japan on Sept. 25, a week before Japan Open. So I presume he will come to Japan fairly soon.
The event will be televised here, I'm not sure for how long (probably like 30 minutes at best?). I will report about it if there's anything interesting to post.

Also, a book about Kei (in Japanese) will be published in Japan on Sept. 27.
The book's title is "Nishikori Kei 15-0."　Author is tennis journalist Hitoshi Jin, whose name I didn't recognise. :lol:
Ads about the book boast it has a long interview with Kei, so I am looking forward to it. Will let you know about it once I got hold of it. :)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/...-22/ref=nosim/

Some page captures from the book:
Title page: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/i...&s=books&img=0
Victory in Delray Beach: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/i...&s=books&img=1
Junior years: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/i...&s=books&img=2
Turning pro: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/i...&s=books&img=3
Kei's forehand: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/i...&s=books&img=4

Re: Kei's news thread

Quote:

The Open is no different. We are all at home here, but not in the same places. Down in the media center, four or five Spanish journalists are watching Tommy Robredo on a monitor. In Louis Armstrong Stadium, an elderly couple reads the Sunday paper, while right in front of them Robredo takes on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who seems mentally fatigued by his body. He chases a cross-court shot up onto the edge of the photographers’ pit and roars at the crowd, which roars back. Over at the practice courts, Kei Nishikori is working on his backhand. I am trying to see the downward flick of the racket at the very bottom of his backhand swing. Nishikori, who is 18 and made it into the Round of 16 before being eliminated, is only a few months older than Daniel Cox and Henrique Cunha, who played in a juniors singles match that I watched earlier in the afternoon. They seem oddly assembled — racket-arms of grown men, boyish faces, gestures of a pro.

Full article HERE

Re: Kei's news thread

Teenager Nishikori making a name for himself at the Open
By Bonnie D. Ford
ESPN.com

Quote:

NEW YORK -- Kei Nishikori is making history with every swing of his racket, and that can be tiring.

After his latest triumph, a grueling five-set endurance test against 4th-seeded Spanish grinder David Ferrer, the slight 18-year-old limped into the interview room, grimaced as he sat down, ran one hand through his spiky hair and put his head down on the table for a moment to collect himself.

He spoke softly and slowly, pulling the words up from the bottom of a deep well of emotion.

"Right now I'm very happy,'' said Nishikori, who cramped so severely during the match that he required a near-full-body massage at one point. "Yeah, that's the only word I can say now. And, you know, I couldn't give up the fifth set … I tried to think, 'I am playing David, he's No. 4 in the world, and playing five sets with him.' I felt like kind of happy and [began to] think more positive. Yeah, that's why I think I could fight through everything.''

Nishikori's talent, aptitude, adaptability and spirit have made him a barrier-breaker in several ways. He is the first Japanese man to reach the round of 16 in a Grand Slam event since Shuzo Matsuoka did it in 1995 at Wimbledon, and the youngest man to advance this far at the U.S. Open in 10 years.

Re: Kei's news thread

*Esther*, thanks for posting the article. More praise and recognition for Kei's ability, better for his confidence:yeah:

Re: Kei's news thread

Kei's plans are now Stockholm, Madrid, Basel and Paris :wavey:

Re: Kei's news thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathaliia (Post 7672689)

Kei's plans are now Stockholm, Madrid, Basel and Paris :wavey:

Thanks Nathii :hug:

Wow, Roger Federer is playing the 4 indoors tournaments that Kei has planned to play!:worship::worship:

Re: Kei's news thread

Let's hope Kei won't face Roger Federer in these tournaments in first rounds :o

Re: Kei's news thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathaliia (Post 7672689)

Kei's plans are now Stockholm, Madrid, Basel and Paris :wavey:

Thanx for the info. :wavey: Can't see his name on the entry list for Stockholm. His ranking was too low even to make the alternate list at the time of entry deadline, which was before the end of USO. So he will probably play qualies (if he loses early in Tokyo...which I hope will not happen!) or he knows he will receive a WC?
He will have to qualify for Madrid and Paris as well. Although the entry cutoff point for the qualies in those tournaments are very high, there may be some withdrawals, especially in Paris, which may ease his way into the draw.

Re: Kei's news thread

After Sony, Kei won another big contratct, rumoured to be with Toyota.
He will wear the logo of the company from Sunday when he participates in an open practice session with Go Soeda at the Ariake Colosseum, as part of the opening day events of Japan Open.

Re: Kei's news thread

Nishikori's nick name is K-Air. did u guys no that? i didnt no where to post, but im pretty sure u guys already know
he recently got sponsored by Cup Noodles. He will wear a the noodle logo on his adidas shirt along with the Sony logo!

GO Air-K