Kei Nishikori Would Rather Be Ranked 15 Than 5, And He Prefers The Food In Japan vs Florida!

Soft-spoken Kei Nishikori is on a fast track up the rankings. The 24-year-old broke into the Top 20 in 2013, then last year vaulted into the Top 10 landing at No. 5 after his US Open final.

But the meteoric rise isn’t something Nishikori is quite comfortable with just yet.

“I’m really new to be No. 5,” Nishikori said. “It’s been only couple months to stay this ranking. You know, I just not comfortable. I was top 10 last year, early last year. This is pretty new for me. So I need some time, you know, to get more experience. Yeah, I start thinking, you know, little bit other things outside the court. I might feel pressure, other things. But, you know, I think I need some more time to get used to it.”

Then when asked where he’d like to be ranked, he joked, “Maybe like 15, 20”.

After pounding David Ferrer 63, 63, 63 for a seventh time, Nishikori will face Stan Wawrinka Tuesday afternoon in a rematch of his 5-set quarterfinal win.

“If you win Grand Slam, it’s means you are one of the best player on this two weeks,” he said of the Swiss.
“For sure he got lot of confidence. You see he jumped up really well last year. So, you know, it’s not easy when your opponent is really pumped up and confident. But, you know, I was almost same at the US Open. I beat him, too.”

He also talked about living in Florida compared to Japan.

“Florida nobody talk to me,” he added. “In Japan, yes, it’s little bit different. You know, lot of people recognize me. Not easy, you know, to walk on the street. But I really enjoy live in Japan because that’s my home. I feel more comfortable live in Japan. They have much better food, I have to say. But Florida, they have great facility in IMG Academy, good players I can train with. They have everything. So I really like, you know, live in Florida. But maybe after I retire, I might move to Japan.”