Kei Nishikori is confident he will build on a breakthrough season that saw him reach his first Grand Slam final. The Japanese reached his first major final earlier this year at the US Open and qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time, losing in the semifinals to top-ranked Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Nishikori, whose early career was hampered by injuries, improved dramatically this season under the helm of coach Michael Chang, who is credited for boosting Nishikori’s self-belief. Nishikori claimed four titles in 2014 and climbed to fifth place in the rankings, becoming the first Asian player to finish a season in the Top 10.
“I think I need a bit more experience to get there,” Nishikori said, reflecting on Federer and Djokovic’s achievements. “But I think you also get more motivation when you get a higher ranking. Hopefully I can keep going like this next year.”
The 5-foot-10 Japanese posted 11 wins over members of the Top-10 this year. “It has been one of the best years for me, I did really well,” Nishikori said. “Now I have to train well during the offseason and stay injury-free again. I think I will have chances in big tournaments, especially Grand Slams.”