Nishikori fairytale continues in Sweden
Saturday, 11 October 2008
STOCKHOLM, Oct 10 (AFP): Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori opened another chapter in his fairytale 2008 when he reached the Stockholm Open quarter-finals Thursday by downing Slovakian veteran Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 1-6, 7-5.
The 18-year-old, who will tackle Croatian second seed Mario Ancic for a place in the last four, is fast becoming a sporting hero back home which is desperate for a tennis revival a decade and a half after Shuzo Matsuoka reached the Top 50.
Nishikori, ranked 77 in the world, will face Ancic for the first time with the Croatian having beaten the only two Japanese players he has faced on the ATP - Go Soeda last year at the Australian Open and Tasuku Iwamiin Tokyo five years ago.
Nishikori has made a leap up the rankings of 212 places since his surprise title in February when he defeated number 12 James Blake at Delray Beach in Florida.
He is the first Japanese to win an ATP crown since Matsuoka won the 1992 South Korea crown.
In his last two tournaments, Nishikori reached the US Open fourth round and went down in the third round at home last week in Tokyo.
"This is the first time I'm winning so constantly and it surprises me. Of course I haven't faced anyone from the top 10, but it gives me confidence. Now I want to advance to the semis," said Nishikori who was proud of his determined performance Thursday.
"I just concentrated on holding my serve in the third set," he said.
The 18-year-old, who will tackle Croatian second seed Mario Ancic for a place in the last four, is fast becoming a sporting hero back home which is desperate for a tennis revival a decade and a half after Shuzo Matsuoka reached the Top 50.
Nishikori, ranked 77 in the world, will face Ancic for the first time with the Croatian having beaten the only two Japanese players he has faced on the ATP - Go Soeda last year at the Australian Open and Tasuku Iwamiin Tokyo five years ago.
Nishikori has made a leap up the rankings of 212 places since his surprise title in February when he defeated number 12 James Blake at Delray Beach in Florida.
He is the first Japanese to win an ATP crown since Matsuoka won the 1992 South Korea crown.
In his last two tournaments, Nishikori reached the US Open fourth round and went down in the third round at home last week in Tokyo.
"This is the first time I'm winning so constantly and it surprises me. Of course I haven't faced anyone from the top 10, but it gives me confidence. Now I want to advance to the semis," said Nishikori who was proud of his determined performance Thursday.
"I just concentrated on holding my serve in the third set," he said.