Kei Nishikori just hit the courts again at the 2024 Miami Open. After his match, he spilled the beans on what keeps him going.
It’s been a hot minute—about eight months—since Nishikori played competitively. His last showdown was in July 2023 at the Atlanta Open. The guy’s tried to make a comeback a few times over the years, but injuries were like, “Nope, not today.”
And yeah, last year was no different. So, he chilled, waited out the storm until he could hit the court again. That moment finally came at the Miami Open. He did alright, considering. Couldn’t take down Sebastian Ofner, but he didn’t look out of place, which is something, right?
Post-match, Nishikori was all, “Motivation? Never lost it.” Despite the injury saga, his drive to return was unwavering. He said, “I never lose that motivation. It’s always there. Some reason I cannot explain, but some reason motivation is always there. I don’t have the clear goal right now. You know, I just want to play a lot of matches.”
Here’s hoping Nishikori gets to rack up those matches this time. Last year didn’t quite pan out. He enjoyed the match, even though he admitted he’s not quite ready to topple the top 50 players. Yet, he’s optimistic, looking forward to more tournaments. “Today, I mean, I was almost enjoying the match, but it wasn’t good enough to beat those top, you know, 50 players. But I think I’m happy enough, you know, how I played today. Maybe not the best, but I still have, you know, good desire. Yeah, I’m looking forward to play couple more tournaments.”
It’s gonna be interesting to see how Nishikori fares in the coming months. What tournaments will he choose? He’s got options, and we’re here for it.
Takeaways
– ‣ Kei Nishikori made his return to tennis at the 2024 Miami Open after not playing competitively for about eight months due to injuries.
– ‣ Despite his loss to Sebastian Ofner at the Miami Open, Nishikori remains motivated and looks forward to playing more matches to regain his form.
– ‣ Nishikori acknowledges his current level isn’t enough to beat top players but is happy with his performance and eager to participate in more tournaments.