Monday January 14, 2013
Japan’s Nishikori calls Pan Pacific loss ‘bad news’
KEI Nishikori yesterday admitted Japan losing their top tennis tournament to China was “bad news” but added that he wanted more events in the region to encourage emerging players.
The world No. 18 called it “sad” that the 30-year-old Pan Pacific Open women’s tournament had been replaced by a new event in China as part of a push into the country by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
“Yeah, it is bad news. But I don’t know much about why they moved to China, so I can’t say anything,” he said at the Australian Open.
“Yeah, it’s sad to see. I want more tournaments in Japan.”
Wuhan, home city of Chinese star Li Na, will host a new tournament next year in place of Tokyo’s Pan Pacific, whose list of winners includes Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Maria Sharapova.
New events in Shenzhen and Hong Kong will take the number of women’s tournaments on Chinese territory to five by next year as the WTA put heavy emphasis on the country.
But Nishikori backed moves to bring more events to the Asia-Pacific region.
The 23-year-old became the Japan Open’s first home-grown winner last year and Australia’s Bernard Tomic, 20, won his maiden title in Sydney on Saturday.
Nishikori also reached the quarter-finals at last year’s Australian Open, the best ever Grand Slam performance by a Japanese man.
Nishikori added that his knee was 90% fit after an injury which forced him out of this month’s Brisbane International. But he admitted to feeling extra pressure after last year’s run at the Australian Open.
“There’s going to be a lot of pressure for sure from the first round,” said Nishikori, who plays Romania’s Victor Hanescu today.
“But I’m getting a lot of confidence getting through last year and won the Japan Open, beating a lot of top 10 players. I’m getting a lot of confidence, so hopefully I can go and play my best tennis and get a good result.” — AFP
- Razif: Indiscipline the cause of senior players’ poor performances
- Spirited Malaysian team vow to deliver against Germans
- Cool V Shem believes he will be too hot for rivals to handle
- Malaysia have their work cut out in the World League
- Plenty for Hafizh as 55 is significant in his early racing career
- Yi Ting on a mission
- Japan hope to reach their first semis in tourney
- Reigning champion thumps Xu Xin as Taiwan make history with first gold
- Grace hammers home a point with two golds
- Former Asian phenom takes slow route to success
- Grace hammers home a point with two golds
- Former Asian phenom takes slow route to success
- South Korean captures first US PGA title with a 69
- Spurs thump Grizzlies in series opener
- Uihlein rules at Madeira Open
- Malaysia have their work cut out in the World League
- Sharon believes KPT circuit is excellent for squash’s future
- Razif: Indiscipline the cause of senior players’ poor performances
- Reigning champion thumps Xu Xin as Taiwan make history with first gold
- Delia one step away from main draw after easy win
RSS
