world No. 8 Kei Nishikori has declared himself 100% fully fit ahead of the American hard-court season.
The Japanese player is seeking a stronger performance than what he achieved during the grass-court swing of the tour. At the Halle Open he was forced to withdraw from the event due to a left hip injury. Then at Wimbledon he went out in the third round to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
“I do not have any problems with my physical condition, I’d like to prepare thoroughly,” Nishikori told Japanese media earlier this week.
“I came back to Japan for a while and was practising or relaxing. I look forward to preparing for the next game (match).” He added.
Nishikori will be aiming to reproduce the results he experienced in North America last year. In 2016 he reached the final of the Canadian Masters followed by the semi-finals at both the Rio Olympic Games and US Open. At eighth in the world, he is trying not to fall outside the top-10 for the first time since August 2014.
The focus of the former US Open runner-up isn’t just for this year, but also the upcoming Olympic Games. For the first time since 1964, Japan will host a summer Olympics in 2020. Nishikori will be 30-years-old when the competition gets underway, but he is already targeting a medal at the event.
“I still have a long way to go and I will do my best to raise my skills by 2020 and I will do my best to get a medal.” He said.
“As a tennis player if I improve my body with strength in the last couple of years It’s a good time, I think it’s a great advantage to be able to play in home country.”
Last year Nishikori won a bronze medal in Rio to become the first Japanese player to win an Olympic medal in the Open Era. Prior to him, the last Japanese medallist was in 1920.
The next tournament for Nishikori will be the Citi Open in Washington. A champion two years ago, he will be bidding to win his first title of the season. Nishikori and Dominic Thiem are the only top-10 players expected to be playing at the event.
