By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday August 3, 2021
Kei Nishikori is on the rise. After his 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cameron Norrie to reach the quarterfinals at the Citi Open on Thursday, the former World No.4 (current 67) told reporters that he is playing his best tennis in two years. Nishikori, who famously struggled in 2019 and 2020 before undergoing wrist surgery, says he is finally starting to feel the ball the way he wants to.
“Since last week in Japan, I feel like it's been two years that I feel like this,” the 31-year-old said. “The way I feel on the court is very nice, very comfortable, being aggressive. I'm finally start feeling the ball. So feel like beating top 10, it's been two years also. But after coming back from my wrist injury, last week was first time I felt like strong, and I feel like I'm carrying that this week too."
Today the 2015 Citi Open champion, who snapped a 13-match losing streak against the Top-10 at the Olympics when he defeated Andrey Rublev (en route to the quarterfinals), made it six wins in his last seven matches with his victory over the World No.29.
“Very happy,” he said. “Very pleased that how I keep playing like this. There is some up and downs, but, yeah, last two weeks I have been feeling pretty nice.”
Nishikori, who will face either Lloyd Harris or Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals on Friday, says that little things are starting to make a big difference in his game.
“There is less unforced errors than last couple months, and like little things, like small difference when I have to reach with my slice and making everything, that's I didn't have couple months ago. Forehand is feeling good now, so I can be little more aggressive than before,” he said. “Yeah, like, the little things. Serving well, too.”