TENNIS WIMBLEDON 2014 – 30th of June. K. Nishikori d. S. Bolelli 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4. An interview with Kei Nishikori
Q. I wonder how you would describe your own game so far at Wimbledon this year. Good? Bad?
KEI NISHIKORI: I think it’s good, winning three matches. But this one was very, you know, how you say, very tight match for especially me because he was playing really aggressive and flat, both side, either forehand, backhand, especially forehand.
He was hitting a lot of winners, and sometimes I didn’t know what to do. I was kind of like yo-yo. I was running side to side.
I think Saturday he was playing much better than me. But, you know, today was some lucky shot. 3-All I was down 15-40 on my serve. There were some lucks, too.
Q. Is grass not good for you?
KEI NISHIKORI: No, it’s good. I like to play on grass. Yeah, it’s been a good three matches.
Q. How did you keep yourself occupied and focused throughout your day off?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, like I said, it wasn’t easy. First time for me to feel like that. Yeah, it was very tough time to concentrate all the way until today.
But I think I started well. I played much better tennis today than Saturday. So, yeah, very happy the way I played today.
Q. Did you practice on Sunday?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Can you describe your relationship with Michael Chang, and how important is his influence to you?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it’s been great. Already six or seven months. Yeah, I love how he does and coaches me. My tennis is also changing. You see ranking is much higher than last year.
So, obviously, his help is something, for sure. Yeah, I love how we doing together right now.
Q. Do you think he has more understanding about Asian players?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it’s not because we are Asian, but we kind of same, similar how we play. He’s not the biggest guy on tour also.
He knows how I should play. Yeah, but maybe also mentally he can understand little more the Japanese way.
Q. With you only playing four games today, would you have preferred to have played your next match today as well?
KEI NISHIKORI: I don’t think so. I am too tired mentally.
Q. You said something interesting about Michael, that he might understand how you do things, the Japanese way. Could you take a moment and explain that.
KEI NISHIKORI: I was kind of joking (smiling).
But I think, for sure, there is different, American and Asian or Japanese, you know, how we think, the culture and everything.
But, you know, I love his personality, yeah.
Q. He’s a very positive guy. Is he good to be around?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, he’s also, you know, teaching me mentally, too, mentally strong. Like you said, he’s very positive always. Yeah, I love how he thinks. Sometimes it’s different, like we think different. When we talk to each other, I try to understand how he think.
Yeah, I learn a lot of things from him b# tennis and also mentally, too.
Q. Outside tennis, how do you relax? Japanese way or English way, how do you relax? Do you ever relax?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I try to relax in my room usually. I love to go out when I have day off. Yeah, I love to sleep. So I usually sleep a long time.
Q. Obviously tennis is big in Japan because of your success. Do you have any sense that your success is helping put down roots which will make tennis big 15, 20 years from now in Japan?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I hope so. I hope tennis is getting big and more players are coming up, especially young guys having really tough time coming from Asia. So I hope there is more guys coming from Asia.
Yeah, if I can do well, you know, and send some good news to Japan, it’s going to help for sure. I mean, it’s not only tennis, but I hope sports get big in Japan.