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WIMBLEDONJune 25, 2013Kei NishikoriLONDON, ENGLAND K. NISHIKORI/M. Ebden THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You must have been pleased with how it went today. KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I played well today. Good start. You know, when it's first round it's not easy to play, but I was started well and played well whole match, I think. Q. You had a good run here and the Olympics. Got to the quarterfinals. Has that helped your confidence playing on grass? KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I think so. Played good last year. Third round here Wimbledon, and, yeah, was good beating David in Olympics. It was big experience for me. But this year I just played only one match. In Halle I lost first round, so I was a little bit doubted about this grass court. But, yeah, played well today, so I'm happy. Q. You've had two fairly strong runs at the Grand Slams this year in Australia and France. Do you believe you can go further, maybe to the last eight here this year? KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I hope so. That's going to be my next goal, to go quarterfinal in Grand Slam. You know, you have to beat top 10 guys maybe twice to get to quarterfinal. Yeah, I'm getting stronger in grass court and getting confidence, so hopefully, yeah, I can do it some day. Q. Shuzo Matsuoka was the last Japanese man to do that in '95, to get to the quarterfinals here. Was he an idol growing up or do you know him? KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, for sure he was one of my idol. He was coaching me when I was young, too, so he was giving me a lot of advice. I love to see Roger, you know, even when I was young and even today now. So, yeah, I think those two guys. Q. Who do you know of your next opponent? Argentine, I think. KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, we practice a lot but we never played before, I think. Yeah, he has good serve, big serve on grass. It's going to be tough. He has big strokes, so, yeah, it's going to be tough opponent. Q. Do you speak to Roger Federer much about playing on grass? Obviously his record here is remarkably good. Has he given you any tips on this surface? KEI NISHIKORI: No. (Smiling.) Q. You needed six match points today. Any nerves as they were slipping away? KEI NISHIKORI: A little bit. I was still relax. Was 5‑2 and have two breaks up. But it was, yeah, tough game. He served well and had a lot of match point and couldn't finish it. He broke me back for 5‑3. It was tough moment, but I finished well the next game. Yeah, I'm happy. Q. What part of your game were you most pleased with today? KEI NISHIKORI: I don't know. The only last two games was a little bit rough, I have to say. But otherwise I played I think unbelievable well today. Q. Your backhand especially? KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I think so. A lot of powerful backhand and a lot of winners from the backhand. Yeah, that was the key. Q. You became the first Japanese player to win the Japan Open. How has that changed you popularity in Japan, and has it had an effect on the sport? KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, of course really happy to win that tournament because I wasn't really expected to win that tournament. But that was my always goal, to win the Japan Open. Yeah, I think it was big surprise for everybody. Hopefully tennis gets bigger and bigger. I heard a lot of kids start playing tennis, and that's something happy to hear that. Hopefully I can do well to get more good result and to send some good news. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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