	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2018

Kei Nishikori

New York, NY, USA

K. NISHIKORI/P. Kohlschreiber

6-3, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What can you say about your opponent today? How did you see the game of Kohlschreiber?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, I think I played good tennis to not play his tennis. I think he was playing good, too, but I think I was playing little better and tried to stepping in a lot and playing aggressive and played, you know, the way I wanted to.

I mean, for me, was great game. He started playing well in the last couple of games, but happy to finish in three sets today.

Q. There is a chance you'll be facing Marin in the next round. What do you remember most of the final here against him? What effect do you think that has on a match now?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, I was really nervous, I remember. I wasn't nervous before the match, but as soon as I got into the court, it was different. I didn't have, you know, energy left to play five sets. I remember I wasn't there for the match.

So hopefully I can come back to that stage. I mean, yeah, it's always special playing with Cilic, you know. Reminds me, you know, that final. He's great player. We grow up together. You know, we kind of same age. I know him from the juniors.

Yeah, it's always big challenge for me to play Marin. Well, even Goffin is great player. We are good friends. So we'll see who's gonna win today.

Q. What makes Cilic a great player?
KEI NISHIKORI: He has great serve. I mean, play aggressive. Especially these couple years, he's been playing aggressive and coming in a lot.

Yeah, he can beat anybody now, so good player.

Q. When you were playing challengers at the beginning of the year, did you think ahead and expect that you would have a result like Monte-Carlo and quarterfinals in two slams so quickly?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, not really. I mean, that time I was playing one match at a time, because, you know, I didn't have any confidence and I was still worried about my wrist. Well, I still had pain, you know, couple tournaments after coming back.

Well, yeah, Monte-Carlo was really surprise for me to going final again. Even though I had some pain, you know, I played through and that gave me a lot of confidence.

Yeah, clay court season was great. First time, you know, going to quarterfinal in Wimbledon and everything, it's going well this year.

Q. When did the pain stop? Was there a point where that happened?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, took a while, maybe couple months after coming back, coming back from injury.

I still have some, too, now. I mean, I can play, but, you know, I still have, you know, little things everywhere, my body. But my wrist is doing well.

Q. You mentioned just now that you're glad it was over in three sets and after this was over -- you mentioned something about the heat and it looked windy out there. How did that affect your game today?
KEI NISHIKORI: I think we both struggled. I don't know him, but for me, it wasn't easy, because, I mean, you can see now it's all shade. You know, I think if it's all shade, it's fine for me, but it's not easy with the heat. You know, I couldn't think too much between the points. It's not easy to focus every point, you know. You lose some concentration.

So it wasn't easy, but I think played what I have to do on the court, and -- well, last couple games was tricky, but happy to finish really three sets today.

Q. Did you watch the US Open last year? Did you tune it out if you don't play?
KEI NISHIKORI: I don't think I saw, I see maybe final. Well, I got injured in Cincinnati, and I took some time off from tennis.

Yeah, that time I didn't really want to see any matches, because I know if I see, I wanted to play.

After Cincy, I took maybe a month, you know, doing nothing and just doing rehab. I think I start watching end of the year last year. I start have more time, and that time I was start hitting some sponge ball, playing some tennis. That's when I start watching tennis again.

Q. Would you share some thoughts about the pressure and the expectation? What change in the last four years? Four years ago you were in the second week of the Grand Slam. Now you share the spotlight with Naomi. It's going to be easier for you now? Is a little bit the monkey from the shoulder, or...
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, this year is easy for me, because I don't expect any big result. I try to play one match at a time. This week it's been great. You know, every match I been playing really good tennis, and, well, maybe I had more pressure few years ago. You know, I wanted to keep top 10 every year, and that gave me a little bit of pressure.

But I tried to have, you know, -- I kind of reset last year, you know. Took six months off and this year, it's been great.

Right now I don't have any pressure, but also enjoying playing every match and enjoying playing tennis again little more than before.

Q. This was your decision or did you talk with your coach, Michael, and did he advise you to push the reset button?
KEI NISHIKORI: Well, we always talk about this injury, because this, you know, was big moments for me last year. You know, didn't play six months. Yeah, I was doing really well last couple of years, and now I have to start from, not zero, but I have to regroup again. You know, we always talk about, you know, this year.

Q. When players win, they hit balls into the stands. At Ashe Stadium, the biggest stadium in tennis, what is that experience like? What do you try to do?
KEI NISHIKORI: To hit the ball in the end. Well, I try to hit ball as hard as I can. Well, if I see someone, you know, jumping around, maybe I will try to aim them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297