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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 6, 2016

Kei Nishikori

Madrid, Spain

K. NISHIKORI/N. Kyrgios

6-7, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Another three-set victory. Seemed like a very tense match. Could you describe how it felt out there for you?
KEI NISHIKORI: No, I think it was a great match. Played very high level, both of us. I think he served really well. Even though I have many opportunity first and second set, many breakpoints, I couldn't convert.

If I could play better those important point maybe I could finish two sets.

Yeah, like I said, he served really well. Yeah, I just stay tough. You know, was tough two tiebreak, but I tried to play maybe little more aggressive in second set.

Third set I think I return little better. I see his serve little better.

Yeah, it was really tough match, but very happy to win today.

Q. Nick hit a great shot between the legs, a lob. What do you make of that shot? It was probably the shot of the tournament so far.
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, yeah, it wasn't that important point, so, I mean, he has a great talent.

Yeah, I think if he works hard he's going to have really good chance to be top 10 soon.

Q. You have done well here in the past. I know you didn't play here in 2012, which was the year the clay was blue. Would you ever be open or curious if the tournament or any other tournament tried to bring back blue clay?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I mean, I think on the TV it look much better. That's really obvious. But I don't think any players was happy to play on blue clay. Looks really slippery. If it's same situation like these courts I think everybody gets happy.

But it's bit weird, too, if it's different color.

Q. Kyrgios hadn't lost any tiebreak this year in Madrid, so in the second set in the decisive tiebreak, how do you cope with this situation?
KEI NISHIKORI: I think was big different first and second set tiebreak. I think I started much better. I started 3-0 up and I was little more relax. I could go little more aggressive when I was up.

So I started better and I think I returned much better. I almost made every return, even the first serve he hits big. Yeah, I mean, it's never easy when they have a big serve, but luckily he made only few first serve in second set tiebreak.

Yeah, second set I was very solid in tiebreak.

Q. Obviously you have a bit of a wait to find out who you'll play in the semifinal. Possibility it could be Novak. Do you think perhaps you fear him less than other players because you have beaten him on a big stage before?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I mean, even if it's Novak or anybody, I try to win. If it's great player like Novak it's always a great challenge for me to show how much I can on the court.

Maybe when you play top players you need to have very good tactics. I always talk with my coach Dante and Michael night before, and even the day I play, so...

Yeah, I know it's going to be tough, but it is great challenge for me. I think it will help I beat him one or two times before, but I never win on clay.

It's another good challenge for me.

Q. You obviously played him in Miami pretty recently; different conditions, of course. What can you take out of that match? You also went into that match having played a lot of sets before that.
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it's different conditions so it's going to make a little bit change. I have to make some adjustment.

Well, yeah, I have to -- like I say, I have to discuss with my team what I have to do tomorrow.

Milos is playing also good tennis. We'll see.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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