[*bunny*]

Originally Posted by chewy

thx for keeping us posted bunny!

any chance you know if Kei will play in Sydney next jan?

In the Sydney/Auckland week, Kei didn't make the cutoff for MD, which was quite high. He is #4 on the alternate list in Auckland and #7 on the Sydney alternate list.

[*bunny*]

The TV documentary about Kei last night was very interesting. Sure, it was targeted not only at tennis fans but also at those who don't know much about tennis, but it included Kei's new interview and comments from Ai Sugiyama, Monica Seles, Nick Bollettieri and all the Kei's coaches and staff, and his first coach when he was still a kid, and Japan's junior Davis Cup captain. There were also repeats of many interviews of star players including Nadal, Federer, Ferrer, etc., when they talked about Kei, as well as words from former pros and journalists. Shuzo Matsuoka and actor Ken Ishiguro were the hosts.
The programme started with a brif summary of how he developed as a promising tennis kid and his years at the Bollettieris. Then the wrap up of the 2008 season with focuses upon Delray Beach, Queens, Wimbledon and USO.
It also gave analysis on what his strength as a player are and what he needs to do to improve (mostly physical aspects).
As is often the case with these programmes, there were lots of overhyping, but you can't help it. All in all, it was quite a good documentary I thought.

Some trivia about Kei from the programme:
* The Paul Smith notebook he was looking at during breaks at USO (that one with Union Jack on the cover) is a gift from his sister.
* The music he often listens on his Walkman is Japanese pop music. His favourite artists are pop group Mr. Children and singer Yui. (Mr. Children, or Misuchiru, is a very popular group in Japan but they're not exactly a favourite among youngsters in Kei's generation. Apparently it's his father's influence that he became their fan, according to what I read some time ago.)
* His favourite Japanese food are shabushabu and ramen noodles.

[kinokino]

Yeah, bunny! I enjoyed it. It was excellent to hear his own comment about the epic games.
I hope that Kei will express his own voice with website to the fans worldwide next year.

[*bunny*]

Kei is out from the Sydney alternate list, meaning he will be committed to Auckland in Week 2 in the New Year.

[myamya]

That's because he got a wildcard entry for Heineken Open.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/tennis/new...ectid=10550028

[*bunny*]

Thanx for the info, myamya, and welcome!

[chewy]

Originally Posted by kinokino

Yeah, bunny! I enjoyed it. It was excellent to hear his own comment about the epic games.
I hope that Kei will express his own voice with website to the fans worldwide next year.

I would like to see that as well, but keeping it low key.

Originally Posted by *bunny*

Kei is out from the Sydney alternate list, meaning he will be committed to Auckland in Week 2 in the New Year.

im very jealous of the Kiwi fans, Sydney should learn from them!!

[*esther*]

The music he often listens on his Walkman is Japanese pop music. His favourite artists are pop group Mr. Children and singer Yui. (Mr. Children, or Misuchiru, is a very popular group in Japan but they're not exactly a favourite among youngsters in Kei's generation. Apparently it's his father's influence that he became their fan, according to what I read some time ago.)

WOW, Mr Children, my all-time favourite Japanese band. Ooopsss, seems like i am exposed my age already.
Bet he has the latest album Supermarket Fantasy.

[*bunny*]

A bit worrying news:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...30277&tc=yahoo

Management shake-up hits Bollettieri academy

By Anthony Cormier

Published: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 11:23 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 11:39 a.m.

BRADENTON - There has been a major shakeup at the top of IMG Academies, the world class sports training facility where four executives were fired or encouraged to resign in the last few weeks.

The deepest impact has come at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, leaving some of the facility’s founders out of work.

Since December, tennis academy director Gabriel Jaramillo, vice presidents Ted Meekma and Greg Breunich and chief financial officer Jeff McNeil were asked to leave.

Each man was given severance pay, according to Jaramillo‘s attorney, and signed nondisclosure and no-compete contracts that prohibit them from coaching tennis or speaking publicly about the changes.

IMG officials would not comment.

The tennis academy is considered the best, and most famous, in the world.

Bollettieri, the fiery coach behind the ascension of some of greatest players in tennis history, opened the boarding school in 1978 and quickly built it into a renowned facility that trained champions Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles and Andre Agassi.

Meekma and Bruenich started as tennis instructors who worked side-by-side with Bollettieri since the early years of the academy. Jaramillo also started as an instructor and worked his way to the head of the academy while training dozens of top players, including Agassi, Sharapova, Pete Sampras and others.

In 1987, Bollettieri joined IMG to open the multi-sport academies in west Manatee County, on 300 acres of former tomato fields. IMG now trains thousands of athletes in sports from golf to basketball.

An investment firm, Forstmann Little & Co., acquired IMG — an international sports and entertainment marketing company — in 2004 for $750 million.

Forstmann Little has a history of cutting costs to make its acquisitions more profitable before reselling them.

The company bought and later resold Gulfstream Aerospace, Topps and Dr.Pepper.

=================================
As you guys know, Gabriel Jaramillo is the guy who spotted Kei's talent when he came to Japan, and helped Kei develop at the academy in various aspects. He also has been part of the team Project 45 as head coach. Remember how he looked happy when Kei beat Ferrer at USO and ran to his team.
Looks like it's part of a stupid restructuring bid by the company that bought IMG, but I hope this shakeup won't affect the athletes too much!

[*bunny*]

Kei does not defend the Delray Beach title to focus on Davis Cup in Osaka. His name not on the entry list for Delray.
Unfortunately, the DC first round is scheduled between the week of Delray and the week of Indian Wells. To play all of them, he must shuttle between US and Japan in a short period of time and probably he and his team decided to cut Delray...

After AO, Kei will play San Jose, Memphis, Davis Cup and the two mandatory events: IW and Miami.

[*bunny*]

Kei's ranking has droppped to #90 since the points from Delray Beach fell off the computer. He has 30 points to defend this week, but after that he has nothing to defend for quite a while.
He seems to be low on confidence these days, maybe it can't be helped with injuries and all that, but I hope he has a good week in Memphis before returning to Japan for DC.
(I really think he doesn't have to play DC this time but hey maybe he wants to come back to Japan.)

[*bunny*]

Today the Japan Tennis Association officially announced members of the Davis Cup team for the forthcoming tie against China as:
Kei Nishikori
Go Soeda
Satoshi Iwabuchi
Takao Suzuki

I think Iwabuchi and Suzuki will play doubles.
The tie will be played at Namihaya Dome in Osaka on March 6-8.
Good luck to Kei and the whole Japanese team!

[chewy]

Go Japan! ...u must be excited bunny, I look forward to this Davis cup tie
Go China! :P

[*esther*]

Nishikori warned over bleeping mobile phone

TOKYO: Japan’s number one Kei Nishikori has been warned not to let his mobile phone go off on court during next week’s home Davis Cup clash with China.

The 19-year-old has been told to leave his phone in the locker room after it kept bleeping during a first-round defeat in Memphis last week, Japanese media reported yesterday.

“He will have to be very careful about his mobile phone,” said Japan’s Davis Cup coach Eiji Takeuchi. “I’ll be warning him about that just to be on the safe side.”

Nishikori had left his phone in his jacket pocket while playing Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and ended up a 7-5, 6-3 loser, later admitting the incoming call had put him off.

“At the very least he will have to learn to put it on vibration mode,” added Takeuchi, who also selected Go Soeda, Satoshi Iwabuchi and Takao Suzuki for the tie with China.

Japan are aiming to make the playoffs for the chance to return to the Davis Cup World Group for the first time since 1985. — Reuters

-----------------------------------------------------
( i heard that before from Bunny's update, i didnt expect that to be published in my local newspaper! )

[*bunny*]

Kei returned to Japan yesterday and today he held a press conference and a tennis clinic for primary school kids.

At the press conference, he said he felt really embarrassed and ashamed about the mobile phone incident and he would never bring in a mobile on court.
He also said that he felt a bit down because the points from last year's Delray Beach dropped and his ranking went down, but he wants to break into top 50 by the end of the year. He particularly wants to do well at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Here you can see a clip from Kei's tennis clinic with kids.
http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlin...N00150319.html
In the clip he said that he finds it most fun when he's with children, and as for Davis Cup, he thinks there will be pressure but he wants to change the pressure into pleasure and play his best.

Originally Posted by chewy

Go Japan! ...u must be excited bunny, I look forward to this Davis cup tie
Go China! :P

Well, personally I rather wanted him to defend Delray Beach, but now that he's decided to play DC, I will cheer for him for sure!