London: Japanese sensation Kei Nishikori could hold his head high despite his defeat to former world number one Roger Federer at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday.
Ranked World No. 6, Nishikori is the only male Japanese tennis player ever to be ranked inside the top 10 in the ATP Singles Rankings. He qualified for his first ATP main event at the Countrywide Classic in Los Angeles at the age of 17 and was named ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2008.
Nishikori, who will turn 26 on December 29, was runner-up at the US Open last year, and became the first-ever male player from Asia to qualify for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals where he reached the semi-finals at the O2 Arena last year.
“I still have most respect on the tour for Roger [Federer] because of the way he plays, it’s just beautiful tennis. I love to watch him, too. But, in a match it’s different. I’ve been playing really well. I have a lot of confidence. I beat him a couple of times already. And today I tried to play my tennis, and I think I did that quite well. I think I have to adjust little things to win against those top players. But I think it’s getting close,” Nishikori said.
“I knew I have to play better to beat Roger today. I was very excited for today’s match. But I’m happy that I’m playing good tennis again and getting close to these guys,” he added.
Coached by former top star Michael Chang, Nishikori can reflect on a strong 2015 where he made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and French Open and added three more titles to take his tally to ten ATP crowns so far. But he realises that a lot of work is yet to be done.
“I’m trying to work on coming to the a little more. I think I am doing really well. I am improving a lot this year. I want to keep doing that. I think it’s going to be really important, making a lot of first serves. I’m not the guy acing a lot, so I have to raise the percentage a little more,” Nishikori said.
“The focus now will be to try and be healthy and I think that’s most important,” he added.
“The focus now will be to try and work hard again. I think I have a good three weeks to train. I will try to work on little things to improve a little more. I think physically I have to be a little stronger. But I’m excited for next year.”
