Kei Nishikori’s prowess remains unmatched even by Novak Djokovic in five-set matches as the Japanese superstar holds a glorious record

Kei Nishikori holds a record among active players that is unmatched even by Serbian GOAT Novak Djokovic.

Kei Nishikori’s prowess remains unmatched even by Novak Djokovic in five-set matches as the Japanese superstar holds a glorious record

Kei Nishikori (Source: Sky Sports)

Kei Nishikori might not have won any major tournaments in his career, but he will surely be remembered as one of the greatest players of our era. The Japanese hold a few records that are unmatched even by the greats like Novak Djokovic, and that shows how great a player the Japanese actually are.

Currently, Kei Nishikori holds the record for having the best win rate among active players in five-set matches. In 5-set matches, Nishikori has won 27 out of 32 encounters, which makes his win rate in 5-set matches 79.4%. Novak Djokovic has a win rate of 77.6% in 5-set matches, having won 38 times and lost 11 times.

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Kei Nishikori’s career has been crippled with injuries. He had to sit out the entire 2022 season due to a hip injury. When he was about to return for the 2023 season, he suffered an ankle sprain, which worsened over time. However, at his prime, Kei Nishikori was an absolute beast. Between the 2018 and 2019 French Open, he won as many as nine back-to-back fifth-set matches. He won three of them at the 2019 Australian Open. 

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Moreover, when the 33-year-old managed to pull two back from a 0-2 deficit to 2-2, he won the deciding set three times out of five. Thus, he is also one of the most clutch players when it comes to 5-set matches. Kei Nishikori thrives on pressure, and that is something that his record in five-set matches clearly shows. . 

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Kei Nishikori missed out on the 2023 Japan Open too 

Kei Nishikori had to pull out of the 2023 Japan Open as he has not yet recovered from his ankle sprain. This was the same reason why he could not play in the US Open as well. The only positive thing is that the player hopes that he will fully recover from the situation within the next few weeks. Thus, he might start the upcoming season afresh. 

Kei Nishikori
Kei Nishikori (Source: The Japan Times)

“I feel like I’m almost there to come back. I hope a couple more weeks to go. Unfortunately, I couldn’t play this week in Japan, but I’m doing rehab and doing training and I hope I can come back soon,” Kei Nishikori said when asked about his current situation.

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