Kei Nishikori is gearing up for another shot at tennis glory at the Miami Open. And boy, the draw hasn’t done him any favors.
Last he was seen, Nishikori was at the Atlanta Open last year. After a long drought, he finally snagged an ATP Tour-level win. Looked pretty sharp, too. He bagged two matches there but then lost to Taylor Fritz. The scores? A bit of a ouch – 4-6, 2-6.
Back then, there was a buzz of optimism around him. Everyone thought he’d make a grand comeback at the US Open. But, fate had other plans. He injured himself. Again. And just like that, his 2023 was pretty much done. Wrapped up with a mere 13 matches, most of them at the Challenger level.
It’s been a rough couple of years for Nishikori, missing all of 2022 and 2020 due to injuries. But quitting? Nah, not his style. He vowed to return to the sport he adores, injuries be damned.
This week marks his latest comeback attempt at the Miami Open. He’s been laying low, skipping events to prepare for this. Plus, he’s got a home-court advantage of sorts, living and training in Florida.
Miami’s no stranger to him; he’s played there plenty. But, the draw’s been less than kind. First up, he faces Sebastian Ofner. And let me tell you, Ofner’s no walk in the park.
What to expect from Nishikori? Hard to say. But if he’s in form and injury-free, he’s got a shot at winning.
Should he get past Ofner, Francisco Cerundolo is next in line. Another formidable opponent, especially given his recent performances in the States. ATP Masters 1000 tournaments are brutal; no easy matches here.
And if Nishikori keeps advancing? He could face the 15th seed, Karen Khachanov. Survive that, and Alexander Zverev might be waiting in the fourth round. Talk about a tough road ahead.
Takeaways
- ‣ Kei Nishikori is attempting another comeback to professional tennis at the Miami Open, despite not having an easy draw and facing challenges from injuries in recent years.
- ‣ Nishikori has faced significant setbacks due to injuries, missing the entire seasons of 2020 and 2022, and concluding his 2023 campaign with only 13 matches, primarily at the ATP Challenger level.
- ‣ The Miami Open represents a familiar setting for Nishikori’s comeback, as he lives and trains in Florida, but he faces a challenging path with potential matches against strong opponents like Sebastian Ofner, Francisco Cerundolo, Karen Khachanov, and Alexander Zverev.