Kei Nishikori: recapping his performance on the 2016 ATP World Tour
Kei Nishikori ended 2016 ranked No. 5 on the ATP World Tour. The Japanese tennis player had a strong year that he can carry right into 2017.
Kei Nishikori is one of the young rising stars in tennis.
At 26-years-old, Nishikori is competing with the “Big Four” and others of his generation such as Australian Nick Kyrgios. A solid 2016 ATP World Tour shows that Nishikori can have an impact in 2017.
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A big sign of a successful player on tour is how he performs at the major tournaments. 2016 proved that Nishikori can step up on the Grand Slam circuit.
The Australian Open was the Japanese player’s first real test. Nishikori reached the quarterfinals for the third time in his career at the tournament. He would lose to Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Nishikori’s second best major tournament appearance in 2016 was at Wimbledon. He advanced to the fourth round for the second time in his career, retiring against Marin Cilic.
The biggest reason for Nishikori’s world No. 5 ranking at year end was his consistent play throughout all of 2016. He ended the year with a birth at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.
He took home 1 ATP singles title on the year in Memphis. The title is his 11th career ATP singles title. Currently, his career singles record is 301-142.
Recent years have shown Kei Nishikori to be a force on tour. His playing style is both balanced and unpredictable when need be. His ability to score winners off of return serves gives him an edge. 2017 can be an important year for the young Japanese tennis player. Starting the year in the top 5, Nishikori can make a run for the top position.
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