Kei Nishikori: Strong Showing For Tennis Superstar
By Harry Floyd
The 2018 ATP World Tour is shaping up nicely so far for Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori as he makes he return to competitive action.
Kei Nishikori, like several other top players in men’s singles tennis, saw himself sidelined due to ongoing injuries for much as the past year. Seeing zero singles titles in 2017, this year marks a chance for the Japanese tennis star to once again reach career heights.
Starting the year with some success at Challenger events, Nishikori is back at making impressive runs in ATP World Tour tournaments. Most recently, he reached the finals at the Monte-Carlo Masters this week, facing Rafael Nadal in the finals. It would be Nadal, however who would take home his 11th career singles title at Monte-Carlo. Nishikori can take plenty of positives away from the action at the Masters 1000 event.
Related Story: Nadal: 11th Monte-Carlo
Nishikori jumps leaps and bounds in the men’s singles rankings with his run at the Monte-Carlo Masters. A former world No. 4 on the ATP World Tour, he is no stranger to the big stage. He has the accomplished resume to back of his exceptional talent. Nishikori is a fan favorite in Japan and around the world. He, like others such as Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, Milos Raonic, and more, have all battled injuries as of late. Even world No. 1 Nadal delayed a return in order to rest and recover more while dealing with a lingering leg injury. Both Nadal and Nishikori are back in fine form though. Others continue to return to the courts, but Nishikori jumps 14 places in the singles rankings with his runner-up finish this week.
Kei Nishikori is the world No. 22 in men’s singles tennis after reaching the finals at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters. He will continue to rise in the rankings if he can keep it up moving forward. The 2018 ATP World Tour is already shaping up to be a strong return to competitive play for the Japanese tennis star.
Look for Nishikori to continue to be someone to watch. His 9-4 singles match record on the ATP World Tour this year, along with several impressive tournament runs, makes him someone to beat moving forward. Already an accomplished player, the Japanese tennis star has the talent and experience to challenge anyone. His success now makes him an interesting player heading into the French Open. Nadal is the favorite heading into play at Roland Garros. Others such as Kei Nishikori, however, can play spoiler at any given moment. Check back for updates on ATP World Tour action in the coming weeks.