INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 10, 2021

Kei Nishikori

Press Conference

K. NISHIKORI/F. Fognini

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just take us through that there? I see you have the ice on the shoulder. How is the shoulder? What's the issue? How are you feeling after that one today?

KEI NISHIKORI: It's nothing. I had it end of last year, so I'm just protecting.

Well, today I think I started really well. From 3-Love he played good, he was playing like Fabio, but I think he was, sorry to say to Fabio, but he's not, like, 100% Fabio. You know, he was missing little more than usual. He could play much more tougher. I know he can be really tough opponent.

Today seems like he was missing little more than usual, and I think I played really solid using my forehand. Serve was working too. So I was happy with myself 100% today.

Q. Naomi Osaka was in here yesterday saying she's conflicted over whether the Olympics should be held in Tokyo this year, that there needed to be more discussion about the issue. I'm wondering where you stand on the same issue.

KEI NISHIKORI: I will say kind of same, because I don't know anything what's happening inside of IOC and Japan side, I don't know what they are thinking, and I don't know how much they are thinking about how they are gonna make bubble, because this is not like 100 people like these tournaments. It's 10,000 people in the Village and playing tournaments.

So I don't think it's easy, especially what's happening right now in Japan. It's not doing good. Well, not even Japan. You have to think all over the world, you know, right now.

I know you still have two, three more months. It's tough to really say right now. You know, I think they should really hold right now, and they should decide it like before. If it's now, I think it's really tough, you know. If you think only about athletes, I think you can do it. If you can make good bubble, maybe you can do it, but there is some risk too. You know, what's happen if there is hundred cases in the Village or can be thousands. The Corona, it's been spread very easy.

So I will say same as Naomi. You have to really discuss, you know, how you can play really safely to happen.