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22-year-old Japanese left-hander continues his comeback from a torn ACL in his left knee
Yoshihito Nishioka has made coming back from a major knee injury look simple this week at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

He scouted his #NextGenATP opponent by watching YouTube videos. He adapted his gamestyle and played aggressively against Aussie Alex de Minaur. Then, during only his fifth match of the past 12 months, he routed the Sydney International finalist to set a second-round contest with 10th seed Tomas Berdych.

But don't let the soft-spoken left-hander's easy success deceive you: Nishioka's rehab from a torn ACL in his left knee was as arduous as you'd expect.

After surgery in early April 2017, Nishioka couldn't run for three months. He couldn't play tennis for nine months. Every day, he trudged to rehab in Tokyo, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and then from 3-6 p.m, followed by another hour of training in the evening.


Some days, he felt depressed. He wanted to quit. He confided in countryman Kei Nishikori, who was going through his own rehab on his right wrist. Nishikori advised him to take a couple days off when he felt especially down.

“It was very tough for me,” Nishioka told ATPWorldTour.com. “I wanted to move, and I didn't feel any pain but inside the knee, it was still very, very weak. So I had to stay. Everything, I couldn't do it.”

While Nishioka was injured, his countryman Yuichi Sugita had the season of his career. He won his maiden ATP World Tour title at the Antalya Open in Turkey and cracked the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings.

But Nishioka harboured mixed feelings for his friend's breakthrough.

“That was very good for Japanese tennis, but I felt a little bit mad because I was doing great before I got injured. And maybe I would have won a title too,” Nishioka said.

Before the 2017 Miami Open presented by Itau, the 5'7” left-hander had reached the quarter-finals in Acapulco and the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open, his maiden Round of 16 at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.




Nishioka, then-No. 58 in the ATP Rankings, arrived in South Florida full of belief and was leading American Jack Sock 3-1 when he slid to his left and his leg “stopped”.

Nishioka slightly stumbled, leaning on his racquet as he regrouped. He played for two-and-a-half more games before rain suspended play. He eventually retired from the second-round match.

“I didn't know how badly my knee was injured. I had never had an injury like that. I didn't feel any pain so, , 'Well I can play'. But my coach and the physio said, 'You tore your ACL for sure. You have to stop',” Nishioka said.

Better days, however, have come for Nishioka, who returned to ATP World Tour action in January, a full nine months after his injury. This week in Miami, Nishioka picked up his second win of the season after claiming his Australian Open first-rounder (d. Kohlschreiber).



Nishikori, who also has successfully returned from injury, sees a better future ahead for Nishioka and Japanese tennis.

“Very happy to see him back. He was out for almost a year so he's dropped his ranking, but I'm sure he can be Top 50 easy. Now Sugita is Top 50 so I hope to see [Nishioka] Top 50 again, Nishikori said.

“We are good friends. We always hang out. I'm happy to see him here, doing well. Hopefully he can keep winning.”

Nishioka, who's slipped to No. 374 in the ATP Rankings, has a little further to go before he feels completely back. He estimates he's at about 80 per cent of his former self, but, most importantly and what especially causes the 22-year-old to grin, is the fact that, 12 months after he couldn't run or play tennis, he's playing the sport he loves pain-free.

“I don't feel anything... I can move well. I can run,” Nishioka said. “Tennis is all I can do. But if I can't do tennis, I can't do anything. So I'm very happy to be coming back, and hopefully no more injuries.”

Just 13 months ago, Yoshihito Nishioka was lying in a hospital bed, beginning his slow and arduous journey back from leg surgery. The 22-year-old Japanese had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury that kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of the 2017 season.

What a difference a year makes. Nishioka returned to the winners' circle on Sunday in Gimcheon, Korea, securing a bittersweet first ATP Challenger Tour crown in his comeback. He would claim seven wins in eight days as a qualifier, capped by a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Vasek Pospisil in the final.

After battling through a pair of three-set encounters in qualifying, Nishioka would breeze through the main draw without dropping a set, scoring signature wins over Top 100 opponents Jordan Thompson and Pospisil. The 5'7" left-hander, who is now 5-0 in Challenger finals, rises 100 spots in the ATP Rankings to No. 262.

The former World No. 58 will next compete in nearby Busan, Korea, where he opens against second seed Yuki Bhambri. A rematch against Pospisil looms large in the semi-finals.

Nishioka spoke to ATPWorldTour.com following his victory...

Congrats Yoshi. How does it feel to win the title here in Gimcheon?
Well, this is a very special win for me. It's my first title since my knee injury. It's been almost two or three years since my last one. It's also very special for me to win in Korea because I have a great memory winning the gold medal at the Asian Games in Incheon in 2014.

This is your first title since your injury. How does it feel considering where you were a year ago?
Well, I had a very tough time after coming back from the injury. It's been five months since I returned. I wasn't that bad at first, but not great. So I was thinking whether to play on clay this season or stay on hard courts. I need to get [ATP Rankings] points so I don't have to rely on my protected ranking, so I chose hard courts. I think it was a good choice. I'm up to No. 262 and I have a good mentality and good motivation now.

Did you think success would come so quickly in your return to the tour?
Yes, it has been pretty quick to win a title. The injury was really bad. Not many players have this kind of injury, so they don't know what I went through and coming back from it. I don't have any pain or any problems with my leg now, so I feel very lucky. I'm thankful for having such a good doctor too.

Nishioka In Challenger Finals

Tournament Result Final Opponent
Gimcheon 2018 Won title d. Pospisil
Astana 2016 Won title
d. Istomin
Winnetka 2016 Won title d. Tiafoe
Toyota 2015 Won title d. Kudryavtsev
Shanghai 2014 Won title d. Devvarman

You won here as a qualifier and beat two Top 100 players. What went right for you this week?
I almost lost in the first round of qualifying. I was down 3-5 in the third set. It's a surprise that I won. But little by little I'm figuring out how to win again. My mentality is very good and I kept positive in every match. Sometimes I didn't play great, but I just stayed positive and focused on how to win against my opponent. That worked.

You are now 5-0 in Challenger finals. Do you get extra motivated for matches like these?
Actually, before today's final I was thinking that. That made me think I could win the tournament, so it gave me an advantage. It made me more confident.



You May Also Like: Nishioka, One Year After His Major Knee Injury, Returns To Miami


Your movement was critical to winning this week. Talk about your game and how it has developed.
As you know, I'm very small for this sport. I'm the same height as Diego Schwartzman. There aren't many players like me. But I'm using my strengths and I'm figuring out how to win against bigger players like today. I don't have a big forehand, but I'm using my technique and quickness to figure out how to win. I have to keep doing this. That's what makes me a tough player.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your comeback?
I think it's more about how I keep my body in shape. I am working with a fitness trainer and also a nutritionist to decide what I have to eat and put in my body. That's changing little by little. Now, I'm looking at how much I sweat and how much I'm drinking during practice. That's something different for me, to look at my body that way.



Have you been inspired by Kei Nishikori's comeback from injury? Did he give you any advice?
He did. We were training in the same place - the IMG Academy in the United States - last year. A few times he gave me advice with his past injuries. He told me that he had a bad injury when he was the same age as me. Was teaching me many things, like to keep positive and not to hurry up and take my time. It gave me hope.

Did you have any goals to start the year? How have they changed?
When I came back, I was thinking that I could pass the Top 100 again and play at a high level. At the beginning of the year, I was thinking too much like that. It wasn't easy to come back, but now I am focusing on one tournament at a time. If I'm not doing great, that's fine. I can take my time and get better slowly. I believe that I can come back to the level I was before the injury.

Pierre-Hugues Herbert i Yoshihito Nishioka po tie breakach trzecich setów awansowali do finału rozgrywanego na kortach twardych turnieju ATP World Tour 250 w Shenzhen. Francuz pokonał Alexa de Minaura, a Japończyk wygrał z Fernando Verdasco.
Marcin Motyka
Marcin Motyka
29 Września 2018, 18:24
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Getty Images / Alex Pantling / Na zdjęciu: Yoshihito Nishioka

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ATP Chengdu: Fabio Fognini zatrzymał Taylora Fritza. Bernard Tomic po 2,5 roku w finale

Fernando Verdasco nie poszedł za ciosem po wyeliminowaniu w ćwierćfinale Andy'ego Murraya. Rozstawiony z numerem piątym Hiszpan, najwyżej klasyfikowany tenisista, jaki doszedł do półfinału turnieju ATP w Shenzhen, nie zdołał awansować do finału. W sobotnim pojedynku 1/2 finału Verdasco po 140-minutowej walce przegrał 6:1, 3:6, 6:7(5) z kwalifikantem Yoshihito Nishioką.

Dla 22-letniego Japończyka, który w sobotnim starciu zaserwował jednego asa, trzykrotnie został przełamany, wykorzystał cztery z sześciu break pointów i łącznie zdobył 94 punkty, o cztery więcej od rywala, to pierwszy w karierze awans do finału turnieju rangi ATP World Tour.

REKLAMA

Drugi półfinał także był długi i dramatyczny, również zakończył się tie breakiem decydującego seta oraz porażką rozstawionego tenisisty. Pierre-Hugues Herbert po dwóch godzinach i 34 minutach pokonał 7:5, 2:6, 7:6(8) Alexa de Minaura, turniejową "siódemkę", w dodatkowej rozgrywce trzeciej partii broniąc dwóch piłek meczowych.

- Grając przeciw Alexowi, czujesz się, jakbyś każdy punkt musiał wygrywać cztery razy. On porusza się jak na kołach i jest niesamowicie szybki. To był niesamowity mecz i myślę, że zapamiętam go na bardzo długo. Jestem naprawdę szczęśliwy i dumny, że awansowałem do finału - powiedział Francuz, który drugi raz wystąpi w singlowym finale turnieju głównego cyklu. W sierpniu 2015 roku w meczu o tytuł w Winston-Salem uległ Kevinowi Andersonowi.

Niedzielny finał (początek o godz. 11:00 czasu polskiego) będzie pierwszą oficjalną konfrontacją pomiędzy Nishioką a Herbertem. Obaj zmierzyli się jednak w 2013 roku w challengerze w Jokohamie. Wówczas Francuz wygrał 6:3, 6:2.

Shenzhen Open, Shenzhen (Chiny)
ATP World Tour 250, kort twardy, pula nagród 733,6 tys. dolarów
sobota, 29 września

ćwierćfinał gry pojedynczej:

REKLAMA

Yoshihito Nishioka (Japonia, Q) - Fernando Verdasco (Hiszpania, 5) 1:6, 6:3, 7:6(5)
Pierre-Hugues Herbert (Francja) - Alex de Minaur (Australia, 7) 7:5, 2:6, 7:6(8)

Japanese reaches first ATP World Tour final in Shenzhen

It has been a long road for Yoshihito Nishioka. Exactly one year ago, the 23-year-old was at home, steadily making progress with his rehab after suffering a torn ACL.

Nishioka details the process as quite grueling, forcing him to draw upon all his physical and emotional fortitude. But as arduous as it has been, each victory tastes that much sweeter.

On Sunday, Nishioka will hope to cap the greatest week of his young career with a maiden ATP World Tour title. The margins couldn't have been closer as he edged Fernando Verdasco in a deciding tie-break, reaching his first tour-level final at the Shenzhen Open.

"It has been 10 months since I returned, but I think that is actually quick to get to this point," said Nishioka following his semi-final win. "I'm really happy for this. I never reached a final before I got injured, so I think my level is better than ever. It's no surprise to me, but I do feel lucky to get here."

Nishioka is bidding to not only become the 11th first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year, but do so as a qualifier. Six wins in seven days, including impressive victories over an in-form Denis Kudla, Denis Shapovalov and Cameron Norrie, have put the Japanese on the precipice of his maiden title.

Just four months ago, Nishioka was sitting at No. 362 in the ATP Rankings when he triumphed at the ATP Challenger Tour stop in Gimcheon, Korea. Now, he is looking to add an even bigger piece of silverware to his collection in Shenzhen. And perhaps the greatest prize of all: victory would see him return to the Top 100 for the first time in 14 months.

You May Also Like: Challenger Q&A: Nishioka Notches First Title In Comeback

How is Nishioka putting it all together and thriving once again? He draws inspiration from his idols. Like former World No. 1 Marcelo Rios, the 5'7" Nishioka is also under 6-feet tall and he admits that he models his game after the Chilean legend. In an era of big-hitting giants, there is something to be said for the diminutive fighter who utilizes his agility as a major weapon.

"When I was younger, I watched Marcelo Rios. When I went to the United States, I was training all the time at Nick Bolletieri's academy and he told me I have to watch more of Rios. He is around the same height as me and he got to World No. 1, so I think I can make it. I can run more than him too.

"And for sure Kei is the biggest reason why we [the Japanese players] are doing so well. He made it to No. 4 and he showed us that we can be like that. Also, he's not the tallest player. Many Japanese players play the Challengers to get a higher ATP Ranking, but we also have to play more ATP tournaments and Kei has showed us it is possible."

On Sunday, Nishioka will square off against Pierre-Hugues Herbert for the Shenzhen title. A first-time winner will be guaranteed when the Japanese and the Frenchman take to Center Court. Regardless of what transpires, Nishioka relishing the moment.

"I know he has a good serve and likes to come to the net many times. He's playing very aggressive. I think it's very important for me to return well tomorrow. If I'm doing that, maybe he will have pressure on his service games and get nervous and make mistakes. I just have to get pressure on him.

"I'm very excited for this moment. I was not thinking I could reach the final when I was in qualifying. But this is very exciting for me, to be in my first final. I know there will be pressure tomorrow, but I will try to do my best."

Yoshihito Nishioka wygrał rozgrywany na kortach twardych turniej ATP World Tour 250 w Shenzhen. W niedzielnym finale japoński kwalifikant w trzech setach pokonał Pierre'a-Huguesa Herberta.
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Marcin Motyka
30 Września 2018, 19:11
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Getty Images / Alex Pantling / Na zdjęciu: Yoshihito Nishioka

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ATP Chengdu: Bernard Tomic z tytułem po trzech latach. Australijczyk obronił cztery meczbole i pokonał Fabio Fogniniego

Choć na starcie turnieju ATP w Shenzhen pojawiły się tak znane postacie męskich rozgrywek jak Andy Murray, David Goffin, Fernando Verdasco czy Stefanos Tsitsipas, finał miał niespodziewany skład. Do walki o trofeum stanęli kwalifikant Yoshihito Nishioka oraz Pierre-Hugues Herbert wybitny, ale deblista.

To było starcie obrony z atakiem. Nishioka swój tenis opiera na grze z linii końcowej, kontrze i świetnym poruszaniu się po korcie. Herbert natomiast, jak typowy specjalista od debla, uwielbia atakować i ruszać do siatki.

REKLAMA

W niedzielę górą okazał się Nishioka, który był nieznacznie skuteczniejszy, popełniał mniej błędów oraz prezentował się lepiej w najważniejszych momentach. Po dwóch godzinach i 20 minutach zaciętego pojedynku Japończyk zwyciężył 7:5, 2:6, 6:4.

Dla 23-latka z Mie, który do głównej drabinki Shenzhen Open przebijał się przez eliminacje, to pierwszy w karierze tytuł w głównym cyklu. Za triumf zainkasował 262 punkty do rankingu ATP i ponad 134 tys. dolarów. Został także szóstym w tym sezonie kwalifikantem, który wywalczył trofeum rangi ATP World Tour.

Japanese captures maiden trophy in Shenzhen

From qualifying, Yoshihito Nishioka won seven matches in eight days to capture his first ATP World Tour crown at the Shenzhen Open. The 23-year-old, who saved two match points in the second round against Denis Shapovalov, is the sixth qualifier to lift an ATP World Tour title this season. Having been sidelined for ten months after tearing his left ACL in March 2017, Nishioka re-enters the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings in the form of his life.

You May Also Like: Nishioka Lifts Maiden Trophy In Shenzhen
Nishioka spoke to ATPWorldTour.com after the match:

How does it feel to be holding your first ATP World Tour trophy?
For sure, it is a wonderful feeling. I have been working to get a trophy, so it is a special moment for me. I had a tough time last year and coming back from injury, after ten months [on the sidelines], with a trophy [after nine months] at an ATP World Tour event is pretty quick.

Was it a goal, growing up as a junior, to win an ATP World Tour singles title?
Yes, everybody wants to get an [ATP World Tour] singles title. When I was young I was thinking about getting a trophy at an ATP World Tour event. Still, I believe this is the beginning. I want to get more titles at ATP World Tour 250-level as well as [at the] 500 and [Masters] 1000 events.

Talk about your incredible week, coming from qualifying and beating two seeds along the way?
It was a very long week for me from qualifying. Winning seven matches is not easy. Shapovalov had match points, I thought I had lost already but I got some luck... I believe in myself and try to do my best in every match, that is all. I am always fighting and I never give up when I am losing. That is why I think I won this tournament.

What was your approach and mindset going into your first ATP World Tour final?
I was a little bit nervous, but I just focussed on the opponent. It doesn't matter [if it is] a final or first-round situation. not to think like that and just tried to think how I should play against Pierre... If I [tried to play], thinking it was a final that I had to win, it would have been very tight and I wouldn't have been able to play the way I wanted to play. So, I tried to just think about how I should play against my opponent.

Now that you have won your first ATP World Tour title and are back in the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings, what are your goals for the rest of the season?
I am very happy to be back in the Top 100, this was my goal for the year... I'm going to try and play a few more tournaments this season and try to get my ATP Ranking higher [so I can] play more ATP World Tour tournaments next year.

Who were the players you most admired growing up and why?
When I was very young, like seven or eight years old, I loved to watch Rafael Nadal. I wanted to hit my forehand like that, but I don't have enough muscle so I stopped copying his forehand after having pain in my elbow. I loved Verdasco's forehand, I watched him many times on TV, and when I went to the United States when I was 15 years old, Nick Bollettieri told me I need to watch Marcelo Rios as I could learn more from his matches. I didn't know that much about him, but when I watched him he was playing amazing. He always played so fine, it was very interesting watching his tennis and I loved [watching him] play. Right now my hero is Rios, I can still learn many things from him.

Read: Nishioka Channeling Inner Rios In Comeback

You were at No. 362 in the ATP Rankings just four months ago, could you ever imagine holding an ATP World Tour trophy so soon after your knee injury?
When I was just coming back from the knee injury, I couldn't imagine winning a trophy in an ATP World Tour event. I was working just to get a Top 100 ATP Ranking, but I couldn't imagine [lifting] a trophy. This is pretty surprising for me as well. Before I was injured I was World No. 58, I was playing against top players, so I knew I had the chance to win the tournament.

You are the third different Japanese champion on the ATP World Tour in the past two years, joining Taro Daniel and Yuichi Sugita. What is the state of Japanese tennis at the moment?
When Sugita won I was injured and when Daniel won I was just coming back [from injury]. At the time I was very happy for them, but also I had a little bit of jealousy with them because I was thinking if I didn't get injured and had to have surgery, maybe I would have had a chance to win before. If they are doing well, my own mental belief is pumping up and I need to do more. I go harder in training and practice and I want to get a trophy as well. If they are doing well, I want to do more... I think it is really good for Japanese tennis right now.

Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge for helping you get to this point in your career?
So many people have helped me. My mom, dad, brother, my coaches, the Japanese Federation and sponsors. So many people helped me, but I think the one person is Masaaki Morita... He has the Masaaki Morita Tennis Fund which supports junior players and sends them to the IMG Academy. I went to the IMG Academy with support from his fund and I am very appreciative of him. He is the best guy I ever met and he helped me a lot.

What are your interests and hobbies away from tennis?
I love so many things. I love to play games, the internet, watch YouTube, reading manga and I love to do other sports. I love golf, ping pong and, I can't do it yet, but I want to play soccer. I love to play darts. I have so many hobbies... I want to try new things more.

Japanese player completes journey back from major injury with title

This time last year, when the ATP World Tour came to Tokyo for the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, Yoshihito Nishioka was not competing. In fact, he wasn’t on a tennis court at all. At the 2017 Miami Open presented by Itau, Nishioka tore his ACL, which would require surgery last April.

The Japanese rehabbed here in Tokyo. And while on the mend, he wasn’t thinking about big-picture goals. More simply, he was working on walking, and then running. If nothing else, Nishioka was focused on working towards a return to the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. Little did he know that last week, as the World No. 171, he would qualify and then win the Shenzhen Open.

“I’m very surprised to win this tournament,” Nishioka admitted.

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Nishioka Beats Herbert For First ATP World Tour Trophy
First-Time Titlists Spotlight Q&A

Before the event, Nishioka owned just a 5-10 tour-level record in 2018. While did reach the quarter-finals in Los Cabos, there was still doubt as far as how quickly he could recover his top level, which carried him to World No. 58 last March, if he could rediscover that form at all.

“I think not many men’s players have ACL surgery, so everybody didn’t know how much I could recover. Maybe I could recover or maybe I couldn’t, they weren’t sure yet,” Nishioka said. “I was a little bit afraid how much I could run.

“My weapon is movement and footwork, so I didn’t know how much I could move well. That was very scary when I was injured and coming back. I showed after ACL surgery I could win a tournament on the ATP World Tour, so that makes me very happy.”

Since his return in January, Nishioka has focused a majority of his attention on his conditioning. The 23-year-old has wanted to physically prepare himself to compete against the best players in the world.

“I’m training very hard. I didn’t practise that much, but I think what’s really important right now for me is my fitness and nutrition. That’s the most important thing right now,” Nishioka said. “That’s why I think it’s not a problem, I can play seven matches in a row in a week and still be healthy with no injury. That’s a big reason I won this tournament.”

And that could be what propels him past his previous career-best. Nishioka felt pressure to return to the Top 100. Now, with that weight off his shoulders, the left-hander can play freely.

“I can relax a little bit because I was looking to play the main draw of the Australian Open next year,” Nishioka said. “I had a few pressures as well before I won this tournament, but now I can play more relaxed and I think I can play better.”

While the past couple of days have been a whirlwind for Nishioka, he now will look to carry the momentum into his home tournament in Tokyo. This is where he spent hour after hour pushing for a return to the court. And now, not only is he back on the court, but he’s competing for the first time as an ATP World Tour titlist.

“This is a little bit tough because I didn’t have any time to test the court or the balls, everything’s different. But it’s great that I have the home crowd,” Nishioka said. “My opponent is very tough, Nick Kyrgios is not easy. But if I play my best game, maybe I think I have a chance here to win the match… there’s only one tournament on the ATP World Tour in Japan, so I’ll try to do my best. I want to show all my fans my best game and hopefully they’ll be interested in my tennis.”