	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

SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 24, 2011

Kei Nishikori

MIAMI, FLORIDA

K. NISHIKORI/J. Chardy
7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about last night's soccer? You played?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I played. Yeah. It was my decision. And with Novak, I want to thank Novak a lot doing like that and helping Japan.
I want to thank all the players, you know, to help Japan like that. I'm very proud my country, and, yeah, I had fun yesterday. You know, I had to play today so I couldn't play every - all the match, but, yeah, it was good. I had a good time.

Q. Who played? Like of the players, who played?
KEI NISHIKORI: If you see the...
THE MODERATOR: We have it on the website.
KEI NISHIKORI: Andy and Djokovic, Troicki, all the players.

Q. We didn't go over how, like how did you find your family was safe and when? How long was that period of time once you heard about the earthquake?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, first of all, when I heard, I couldn't believe that. I didn't think it's gonna be like this much. Yeah, luckily it wasn't my town, didn't hit my town. My friends and all that, my friends, are fine.
But, you know, still, like Tokyo, it's getting earthquake again. You know, still not safe.

Q. Is there any thought towards bringing your family here and getting them out of Japan? Is food plentiful in your town?
KEI NISHIKORI: Actually, they were going to come to Miami, see my match, so...

Q. They're here?
KEI NISHIKORI: They're here.

Q. Oh, they are? They were planning to come anyway?
KEI NISHIKORI: To come, yeah.

Q. But to stay in the States until things calm down there, or you don't know?
KEI NISHIKORI: I don't know. That's my parents' decision. I haven't talked to them yet.

Q. Just your parents are here?
KEI NISHIKORI: My parents and sister. Sister got vacation luckily this time. So, yeah, my family is here. Yes.

Q. Does that ease your mind that you know they're here with you?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, sure. Ah, you know, why not?

Q. Where were you when you heard, and, you know, how did you hear? Who told you about the earthquake?
KEI NISHIKORI: The news. I was watching the news live, you know, like UStream. I was watching live. But I thought it's gonna be just once, one earthquake, but, you know, it was still going.
Yeah, I was keep worrying my country.

Q. Were you at Bollettieri's?
KEI NISHIKORI: I was playing Indian Wells, so it was before first round. I had to concentrate my match, and it was really tough, tough time.

Q. Is the ribbon for Japan?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah. If I can do something, because I'm staying U.S. all the time, and even now. But, you know, if I can help something, like if I can give them hope and happiness, yeah, that's why I'm putting this ribbon.

Q. Talk a little bit about the match today. You seem to be, you know, progressing well on your comeback and doing well.
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it wasn't easy match. It was windy. Yesterday was not windy, so first time like this. He was hitting winners, aces, but same time he was missing a lot. I couldn't get a rhythm.
But, yeah, second set start hitting good and hitting, you know, more aggressive, going forward a lot. Yeah, I played well, I think.

Q. Did you wear that today, while you played? Did you wear anything while you played, the ribbon?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, even last week.

Q. Rafa, have you played Rafa before?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, two times on grass.

Q. Talk about it a little bit. What happened?
KEI NISHIKORI: I lost him I think that was last year Wimbledon, and Queen's two years ago.
Yeah, he's No. 1 right now, and it's gonna be my challenge match. I'm really excited to play, you know. Always I'm excited to play like Rafa and top players.
So, yeah, I do my best tomorrow.

Q. I guess this is probably his worst surface, if he has a bad surface. Grass and clay are the best for him. He gets to the Wimbledon finals and wins Wimbledon.

Q. He won the US Open.

Q. That's right. But I think he's best on clay. He's good on everything.
KEI NISHIKORI: Doesn't matter. Yeah, he's good on everything.

Q. When something like this happens back in your homeland, does it make tennis seem very small or very big because everybody's rallied around you?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I mean, sometimes I feel like is it okay to play tennis right now, and, you know, don't -- you know, if I can do something, I want to help them.
But, you know, same time it's my job, and that's something I can give them, like joy, happiness. So I think that's what I have to do right now.

Q. Are you more appreciative of playing tennis now after the injuries and everything that you have been able to come back and everything? Do you feel more special about tennis or anything like that?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, of course. I'm, you know, always enjoy playing tennis. Yeah, especially I had a surgery two years ago, and, you know, what's happening in Japan right now.
So yeah, I'm really enjoying it right now. I have to appreciate to, you know, play tennis like this.

Q. What's one thing or a couple things you think you have to do to beat Rafa? What do you really have to be really on top of?
KEI NISHIKORI: That's, you know, something I have to gonna -- I have to talk with my coach, Brad, and Dante. But, yeah, I have to do something different in my game, a little bit, of course. But I guess more aggressive than usually.
But, yeah, I'm gonna talk to my coach later.

Q. Things are going well with Brad?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yes, like usually. Nothing changing. Yeah, it's going well.

Q. Is he here, or is that by telephone?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, he's here.

Q. What's the one thing that you think Brad has given you in this short time, the most important thing that you've learned from him?
KEI NISHIKORI: Um, there is many things, actually.

Q. Give them all to us.

Q. NCAA brackets, probably.
KEI NISHIKORI: I don't know. It's tough question, and maybe I don't want to say. Sorry.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297