Former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori legitimized his recent return from injury by grinding his way to the semifinals of the inaugural New York Open last week, notching the first Top 100 wins of his comeback and putting a scare into eventual champion and world No. 9 Kevin Anderson in a three-set semifinal.
It was Nishikori’s first ATP World Tour event of 2018, after he eased his way back into competitive action in a pair of Challengers in Newport Beach, Calif., and Dallas. The Japanese star fell to Dennis Novikov in his opening match at Newport Beach but exacted revenge one week later by taking out the American on his way to winning the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, where he dropped just one set in five matches.
Here’s more on the recharged Nishikori.
The Kei Nishikori File
Age: 28
Birthplace: Shimane, Japan
Current Rank: 26
Career-High Rank: 4
Best US Open Finish: Final (2014)
The Baseline
- In the New York Open semifinals, Nishikori quickly fell behind 5-0 to an early blitz from Anderson, his first 2018 opponent inside the Top 70 and a freshly minted member of the Top 10. Just when it looked like he was not quite ready for primetime, Nishikori stormed back to take the second set and found himself up a mini-break in a third-set tiebreak before succumbing to the big-serving South African, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6.
- Nishikori has been a fixture near the top of the ATP rankings since he first cracked the Top 20 in January 2012. After his US Open finals run in 2014, he moved into the world's Top 10 and only dropped out at the end of his injury-shortened 2017 season. Ranked No. 9 when he began his injury leave, Nishikori slipped to No. 27 after his five-month hiatus, though recent results have him trending back upwards.
- A right-wrist injury and tendon tear forced Nishikori to call an early end to a frustrating 2017, with his official announcement coming just before the US Open. He was one of a number of top talents to miss the 2017 Open through injury, a list that also included former champions Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.
- Nishikori, who owns 11 ATP World Tour titles, defeated No. 1 Djokovic to become the first Asian in a Grand Slam men’s singles final at the 2014 US Open. (He lost to Marin Cilic, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, in the final.) He has compiled an 18-8 record to date in New York and reached the semifinals in his last appearance in Flushing Meadows in 2016.
- Born and raised in Shimane, Japan, Nishikori moved to the U.S. at age 14 to train at the IMG Academy in Florida, where he still trains today. It was a leap of faith, as Nishikori made the move without knowing a word of English.
They Said It!
"It's very tough to maintain the balance. If you're not in the top three or four, you have to play a lot of tournaments. Many guys got injured last year, but you have to accept that and keep working on your physical [fitness] every week." – Nishikori told ESPN when discussing competition, rest and injury prevention ahead of the New York Open.
