ATP: Kei Nishikori finally wants to win a major in 2019

Kei Nishikori has finished a difficult season with another highlight – the participation in the ATP Finals in London. The Japanese have big plans for the coming year.

Kei Nishikori was out in the air for the last two matches of 2018: The debacle against Kevin Anderson, where the Japanese could only win one game, was followed by a marginally better performance against Dominic Thiem. The fact that Nishikori was able to qualify for the season finals after a difficult start to the year when he had to do without the Australian Open must be regarded as a great success. Finally, the 28-year-old launched his 2018 campaign on the ATP Challenger Tour. With a bad feeling.

“I was scared,” Nishikori revealed in an interview a few days ago. “The wrist is a must-have in tennis. I couldn’t get away from the idea that I always had to play with this feeling of insecurity.” Nishikori had decided against an operation – which left the possibility of a relapse open.

However, he still achieved his goal of getting back to the top of the ATP charts. And next year, the US Open finalist of 2014 wants to go one step further. “I want to win a Grand Slam tournament or a Masters 1000 Series title,” explained Nishikori. In New York, the Japanese player missed only two wins this year – in the semi-finals, however, he had no chance against the later winner Novak Djokovic.

But the difficult beginning of the tennis year 2018 also brought at least one positive aspect with it. “I played this year without pressure. I was able to put everything into my tennis,” Nishikori continued. “But I know I have to set myself higher goals.”