Credit: Malaysia Today
"Please remember my name. It's not Nishikori, it's Nishioka."
While lifting his first trophy at the ATP Shenzen, Nishioka was already reminding the audience not to confuse him with fellow compatriot Kei nishikori one of Japan's greatest players.
Although It is more than likely that the young Yoshihito's career will not reach the same heights as that of his idol Nishikori, he still remain a challenging opponent for any player on the circuit.
Nishioka's name may not be widely known, yet he is one of the major threats to a first-round grand slam for many top 100 players.
Nishioka during his practice session, credit : 12kgp-Tennis
Let's take a look at Nishioka's profil and analyze the characteristics that turn this 1m70 player into one of the most formidable predators of the tour.
Born in Tsu in the Mie prefecture on the island of Honshu, the young Japanese was discovered by the general public during the 2017 edition of the Indian wells master 1000, reaching the 8th finals of the prestigious American tournament by ousting the famous Czech player Thomas Berdych.
Defensive, Consistent and Smart
These three adjectives might give you an idea of the kind of player Yoshihito Nishioka is.
Tactically the 27 year old Japanese is capable of anything, from deep balls to drop shots volleys, Nishioka is able to produce a wide variety of shots in a single rally.
His morphology not favoring a powerful offensive game, Nishioka compensates this deficiency by finding very precise areas allowing him to meticulously build his points.
Similarly to Diego Schwartzam, Alex De Minaur and to other players of this category, Nishioka also compensates his lack of power by a great speed allowing him to be difficult to overtake during exchanges.
Nishioka defeating his idol Nishikori at the Miami Open
Source : PuntodeBreak
Particularly patient, Nishioka also stands out for his ability to counter-attack, allowing him to take control of a rally, making him one of the few "counter-defenders" of the circuit.
Usually defined by excellent returners taking advantage of the rhythm given by the opponent, these types of players often perform on hard indoor surfaces that are ideal for their style of play.
"You're... super annoying to play!"
Dennis Shapovalov
Already well known for his performance on outdoor hard courts, a surface that favors a counter-attacking style of play, the young Japanese player will now have to learn to blossom on other types of court.
Although grass may not be suited to Yoshihito's style of tennis, the current top-ranked Japanese in the ATP rankings would appear to have the weapons to succeed on clay, thanks to his consistency and ability to move quickly.
Having firmly established himself in the top 50, Nishioka still has plenty of room for improvement, which could see him break into the top 30 in the near future, thus proving that a small player can still be highly competitive in modern tennis.
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