Began playing at age five...Mother, Eri, is a piano teacher; father, Kiyoshi, is an engineer...Has one older sister, Reina, who graduated from college and works in Tokyo...Moved from Shimane, Japan, to US at age 14, to train at the IMG Bollettieri Acadamey in Florida and didn't speak a word of English when he arrived..Came to academy as a member of Masaaki Morita Tennis Fund group, which consists of a select few Japanese players sponsored by Mr. Morita, CEO of Sony...A former roommate of Zachary Gilbert, son of ex-ATP Top 10 pro Brad Gilbert, who was coach in 2011...Captured Roland Garros junior doubles title in 2006 and ranked as high as No. 7 in singles that year...Favorite surfaces are hard and clay courts and considers best shot his forehand...Named 2008 ATP Newcomer of Year...Sponsored by Nissan and Wowow...In ‘11, played Chang in Tokyo to raise money for earthquake relief...Trains at academy under guidance of Nick Bollettieri...Fitness trainer is Hiroto Kon...
Nishikori DEUCE Feature (Nov. 2008)
Nishikori DEUCE Feature (Jan. 2012)
Japanese Tennis DEUCE Feature (Jan. 2013)
2012 -- The top Asian player from Japan finished a year-end best No. 19, highlighted by 2nd career ATP World Tour title on home soil in Tokyo (d. Raonic). Became 1st Japanese winner in tournament history (since 1972) and 1st Asian in year-end Top 20 since Thai Paradorn Srichaphan was No. 11 in 2003...Also made SF in Kuala Lumpur (l. to eventual champ Monaco after holding MP) and QF in 6 other events - 2 on hard courts (Australian Open, Atlanta), 2 on clay (Buenos Aires, Barcelona) and 2 on grass (Newport, London Olympics)...In Grand Slam play, reached career-best QF at Australian Open (l. to Murray) and 3R at Wimbledon (l. to del Potro) and US Open (l. to Cilic)...Withdrew from Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros due to abdominal injury. Compiled records of 23-11 on hard, 7-4 on clay and 7-3 on grass. Went 3-5 vs. Top 10 opponents with wins over No. 6 Tsonga (Aust. Open), No. 5 Ferrer (Olympics) and No. 6 Berdych (Tokyo). Earned a career-high $1,044,847...
2011 - The top Asian player from Japan compiled best results of his career, finishing No. 25…Came into season with 26 career tour level matches between 2007-10 before winning 36 during 2011 campaign...Reached 2 ATP World Tour finals, in Houston (l. to Sweeting) in April, and Basel (l. to Federer) in November…En route to Swiss final, posted Top 10 wins over No. 7 Berdych in 1R and No. 1 Djokovic in SF and afterwards moved to No. 25…Also reached 1st ATP Masters 1000 SF at Shanghai on Oct. 15 (d. No. 9 Tsonga in 2R, l. to Murray)...After Shanghai, reached No. 30 on Oct. 17, becoming highest-ranked Japanese man in ATP World Tour Rankings history (since 1973), which was held by Shuzo Matsuoka, who reached No. 46 on July 6, 1992…Then moved to No. 25 after Basel...In late September, reached his 4th SF (or better) in Kuala Lumpur, losing to eventual champion Tipsarevic for 5th time this year…Also reached SF in Delray Beach and Eastbourne (l. to Tipsarevic both times)...Went 3-5 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 26-14 on hard, 7-5 on clay and 3-3 on grass while earning a career-high $776,621...
2010 -- The top player from Japan returned to Top 100 by climbing 322 ranking positions from previous season… Underwent right elbow surgery in August ‘09 and did not return full-time until April (although he played one tournament in February)…Was unranked on April 12 for his first Challenger tournament at Tallahassee and reached QF…In Challengers, was 27-4 with four titles…Went 3-9 in tour level play with all three wins coming in Grand Slams… Won back-to-back titles in Savannah and Sarasota…Afterwards, went from No. 649 to No. 244…Made Roland Garros debut by defeating Giraldo in five sets (l. to No. 3 Djokovic)…Qualified at US Open and beat Korolev then Cilic in 4:59 marathon before retiring with a groin injury to Montanes in second set of 3rd RD…In November, closed season with title in Knoxville without dropping a set (d. Kendrick).
2009 -- The young Japanese native played in first three months of season before a right elbow injury sidelined him for remainder of year…Underwent surgery in late August and got back to training in December…Will carry a protected ranking of No. 106 in 2010…His best result came in opening week of campaign in Brisbane (d. Reynolds, Berdych, l. to Mathieu)…Did not win back-to-back matches rest of way…Played his final tournament at BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, losing to Ljubicic.
2008 -- The Japanese teenager won his first ATP title and moved up over 200 ranking spots to finish as youngest player in year-end Top 100...Became first Japanese player to finish in Top 100 since Shuzuo Matsuoka was No. 57 in 1995...Opened year on Challenger circuit with SF effort at Miami...Qualified into sixth career ATP event in Delray Beach and defeated four straight Americans û Delic, Reynolds, Querrey and No. 12/top seed Blake û to become first Japanese titlist since Matsuoka in Seoul in April 1992...Saved four match points against Querrey in SF...Afterwards, jumped from No. 244 to No. 131 in South African Airways ATP Rankings...At 18 years, 1 month, 19 days old, also youngest player to win an ATP title since Lleyton Hewitt (16 years, 10 months, 18 days) in Adelaide on Jan. 11, 1998...Made AMS debut as qualifier at Indian Wells (l. to Cilic)...In April, won clay court Challenger title at Bermuda (d. Troicki)...Broke into Top 100 at No. 99 on April 28...Returned to ATP action on grass at Queen's Club and reached 3rd RD (l. to Nadal)...Made Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon and retired in 1st RD match vs. Gicquel due to stomach muscle injury...Fell in 1st RD on Olympic Games debut (l. to Schuettler)...At US Open, defeated Monaco, Karanusic, and No. 4 Ferrer in five sets for first Top 10 win to reach 4th RD (l. to del Potro)...Afterwards, jumped 45 spots to No. 81...In final two tournaments, reached 3rd RD in Tokyo (l. to Gasquet) and SF in Stockholm (l. to Soderling)...In doubles, won Izmir Challenger title (w/Levine)... Earned a career-high $303,269.
2007 -- Reached final at U.S. Futures #8 in Little Rock, Ark. (l. to Young) and in next tournament at Carson (Calif.) Challenger, reached final (l. to Bogomolov)...In his second ATP outing in Indianapolis, reached QF with wins over Falla and Berrer (l. to eventual champ Tursunov)...Following week, lost in 2nd RD at Washington (d. Gabashvili, l. to Benneteau)...Finished with 3-5 record in ATP tournaments.
2006 -- At age 16, captured title at Mexico Futures #18 and ealier in season while unranked, reached SF at Mexico Futures #4 in Cancun...Also SF at U.S. Futures #24 in California...Made Challenger debut in Guayaquil, Ecuador and reached 2nd RD...
2013
On 5 January, retired with a left knee injury in Brisbane SFs, while trailing Murray 6-4, 2-0…
On 24 February, won his third ATP World Tour title at Memphis (d. Lopez) and second at ATP World Tour 500 level (also 2012-Tokyo)…Did not drop a set all week…On 26 February, retired in Delray Beach 1R versus Karlovic at 4-5 due to an oblique strain...
Fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells 3R (l. to Berlocq)…Fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami 4R (l. to Ferrer)…
On 9 May, recorded just his fourth win over a Top 5 opponent, when he beat Federer in three sets in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid 3R…Reached his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 QF (best result 2011 Shanghai SFs), losing to Andujar…
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