TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 26th of May 2014. M. Kilzan d. K. Nishikori 7-6, 6-1, 6-2. An interview with Kei Nishikori
Q. Looking back, do you regret that maybe it was too risky to come or it was nothing really to do with the injury today?
KEI NISHIKORI: I don’t know. I’m actually happy to finish the match. I was really disappointed that my performance was I mean, not very bad, but it wasn’t perfect match for me today. And, I mean, I didn’t have much practice. So, you know, I knew this is going to be happen. But, you know, able to finish the match.
I was playing well on clay in Europe, so it’s very sad for me to, you know, lose first round here.
But, you know, it’s good I didn’t have another injury.
Q. You fought so hard in the tiebreaker. If you had won that tiebreaker, do you think the result would have been different?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, could be. Yeah, I was playing good on first set, because, you know, I was more offensive and I didn’t have much unforced errors in first set. So, yeah, could be different if I could get the first set.
Q. Have you any ongoing problems with your recent injuries that you’re aware of during the matches?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, just like I said, I didn’t have much practice. First time playing points after Madrid, so I didn’t have much rhythm. And also serve, I didn’t hit any serve 100%, you know, before today.
So I thought it’s going to get better, get more rhythm after couple sets, but I couldn’t. So I couldn’t do anything today.
Q. What is it like working with Michael, and what are the two or three things you like the most or have learned the most from him?
KEI NISHIKORI: I don’t know. He’s him and Dante is very working together, and my tennis is improving a lot.
Yeah, you see the result is really getting strong this year, and especially on clay I’m playing really well and got a lot of points. For sure that Michael is helping my tennis to get better.