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SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS

October 15, 2011

Kei Nishikori

SHANGHAI, CHINA

A. MURRAY/K. Nishikori
6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is the most difficult to handle in the game of Andy Murray?
KEI NISHIKORI: Uhm, yeah, I was had to break his serve first of all. He had a good wide serve. I didn't have any chance to break him. He had a good return. I mean, good everything.
In the stroke, he never miss and he makes me run side to side. He was really, like, genius to play, how he plays. He was really solid today I think.

Q. It was your first semifinal in a Masters event. We might be tempted to think that the occasion was too much for you. Were you nervous out there today?
KEI NISHIKORI: No, I wasn't nervous. I think he just played really well. Little bit too good for me. You know, maybe I was excited to play semis here. But I wasn't like really nervous or something.

Q. Talk to us about your tournament overall. You're going to move up to around 32 in the world. You must see this as a big step forward for you.
KEI NISHIKORI: Yes, it is. A big surprise for me. You know, I was thinking if I can get a top 30 or a top 40 this year, that was my goal. And now I have couple more tournaments. If I can get to top 32 to finish this year, it would be good for next Grand Slam.

Q. At some point in the second set, a trainer came in. What made you decide not to have the medical timeout?
KEI NISHIKORI: I was thinking my ankle, I strain little bit yesterday. It was little bit bothering me today. So I was just talking him. Just want to double-check if I'm okay.
I decided to finish the match.

Q. Yesterday there were some questions about your fame and fanfare in Japan. Yesterday I walked outside and I saw some lady crying, she was so excited that you won. How does it feel to know you have the power to make somebody literally break down in tears?
KEI NISHIKORI: I mean, that's really amazing feeling for me. I don't know. Yeah, that's great feeling.

Q. Can you tell us what is the biggest difference between you and Andy Murray? Is it the serve, the return, power?
KEI NISHIKORI: Today I just felt like I cannot get any free points against him, yeah. Good returns. I wasn't making first serve. That's why he was more attacking my second serve.
But it was just tough to play. I was trying to hit more forehand, but he was getting everything using his slice and mixing his pace. So it was, you know, really tough to play against him.

Q. Would it have made a difference if you had been always practicing in Japan rather than the U.S.?
KEI NISHIKORI: I'm thinking in the future maybe to train in Japan. But for now I have a house in Florida and I'm really comfortable to train there. And a lot of players train there, like Ryan Harrison is there, Malisse, Max. A lot of top players to train.
You know, in Japan it's tough to travel all the way to U.S. and Europe. Yeah, I'm just really comfortable to stay in U.S. now.

Q. After the first match with Murray, are you getting more confidence or do you find something you need to improve or you find a player like Murray is really hard to beat?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, it is hard to beat him. Like you see, he's winning two tournaments in a row, beating Nadal, a lot of top players. Yeah, like I said, he never give me a free points. He had a big serve with good returns, so it's really hard to win against him.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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