Nishikori says he is 'still years off peak'

Agree that their play should be the ultimate statement, but as with basketball and other sports, height DOES make a difference (not always for the better, either), whereas ethnicity does not. Nishikori's body isn't built the way it is because he's Asian -- it's built the way it is because he's allowed it to be built as such.

True, ethnicity is not the major factor in physical traits. DNA is a major factor though. Time and again, we hear of athletes who were "blessed with god-given traits". They even thank the Lord for them. The elite athletes are the ones who then take those traits and work their asses off to use their traits to their fullest. After all, I've known athletes who work their tails off training, but can never ever be a Lebron James. I doubt that Lebron James works harder than everyone else. Hard work itself doesn't always equate to success. You still need DNA and a little bit of luck.

I guess some people like to make an excuse that ethnicity is the reason. For example,I feel that more white males would do better and can do better in speed events like the 100 m race, if they trained themselves properly, but unfortunately they don't. Even in table tennis, more Caucasians and blacks would do better in it than Asians, but they just don't train themselves properly for the sport. I guess in tennis too, like Michael Chang once said, more Asian males would play better in tennis, if they had the proper training and coaching.

@erikaj: Tall players have an advantage in the serve, because the higher position of their racket head at the time of impact with the ball offers a bigger window into the service court. What Murray said made perfect sense.

http://danieldiaztecles.blogspot.com/I think in this case, Nishikori, has worked extensively with the technical and physical, and here are the results. If yes it is different, better, in that year will be at 26 years.

The start of NHK's piece last night was ridiculous. One would have thought it was a close match.

I don't think so. I was watching the NHK news and the announcers were deeply impressed by Murray's strength and precision and kept on showing clips of his 200+ kph serves. They admitted that Nishikori just came up a better skilled player and then congratulated Nishikori on a job well done. They even showed fans of him watching his match. No tears, but a lot of smiles and congrats to Nishikori for making it to the quarters. Nishikori himself had no tears but was satisfied that he could reach it farther than he has ever at a Grand Slam. He knew Murray was tough and acknowledged it.

But Michael Chang won the French Open when he was 17.

Yeah, Chang did do well and has that Grand Slam win in his resume. He was a tremendous player. Yet, I can't for the life of me think of any other Asian man to win a Grand Slam. Heck, I can't even remember the last time since Chang, an Asian man made it even to the semifinals of a Grand Slam. If anyone knows who that man was, please let me know. Even the great Thai tennis player, Paradorn Srichaphan never reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam. Yet, I can see that it will be only a matter of time that another Asian player will win a Grand Slam in tennis ...

Maybe Mr. Nishikori has not heard of a certain bloke by the name of Mr.Michael Chang. Chang was a guy that worked his butt off, never stopped running, never gave up - and snared a Major. I also never heard him use his ethnicity as an excuse when he was being blasted by 6 foot 6 monsters - the bloke just got on with it!

R

ubbish. Or how about 'Asians' from other countries?

I totally agree, Smithinjapan: Both Nishikori and Murray should be ashamed of themselves. Saying such rubbish. Let their play speak for themselves.

This is not a whinge or an excuse,he's clearly saying he's not yet aerobically strong enough to compete against the best and that this will come with more hardened conditioning...his coaches are American so he'd be parrotting off what they've probably told him

The start of NHK's piece last night was ridiculous. One would have thought it was a close match. I don't think being "Asian" has any bearing on his current performance. Most 22 year old tennis players have the capacity for improvement over the couple of years unless they experience debilitating injury. But Michael Chang won the French Open when he was 17. Chang was physically and mentally tough even at that age. The Asian theory is nonsense. I'm sure Nishikori's simply repeating what his trainer's telling him, but I hope he'll cease to do so.

Incidentally, Chang beat Stefan Edberg, a much taller man, in the French final. So Murray's wrong as well.

Everytime a player makes a comment outside the box, different from "I lost because he was better than me", it is considered as an excuse ? He explains he has to improve physically, that Murray is better than him at this part of the game. Is it wrong ?

There are no excuses, just facts derived from observations. If you are as tall as a professional basketball player, you will not do well in gymnastics. It's just a fact. Physiology does play an important part in athletic performance in general. Take someone built like a marathon runner and stick them in as a fullback in a professional American football game and no matter how much they train and workout they will most likely never excel. That's just a fact of life. People are stupid thinking otherwise.

Have to agree with Peanut, and it's sad but true - the "little" guys will probably never win a Major again unless the game changes away from the power players. Chang may have been the last. If Nishikori had been playing in the 80s, there is a good chance he may have already made a final or 2 at his age. Watching those guys Rafa and Djoko last night - they have the power game and can blast anyone when they want, but also the sublime skills of a Bjorn Borg. They are the prototype, and the scary thing is there seems to be a production line of them throughout Europe...

Britain's Andy Murray" - heh. This article was clearly written by an English person.

cubic, he is British when he wins and Scottish when he loses.

It would be great to see a Japanese plater in the world top 10, but realistically, Nishikori's never going to get there.

He plans to "outfox" his opponents? How's he going to do that: he's a baseline hitter. I saw snippets of yesterday's game and it seems Murray was employing more technique: drop shots, slices, etc.. NHK said Murray won because he had more power, but I didn't see that at all.

Great effort to get that far.

I often hear Japanese people refer to "physical" differences as a kind of justification for lack of success on the international stage. While it often gives them a nice "excuse" to fall back on, this nurtures an inferiority complex that, in my opinion, is the main cause of their underachievement.

One big problem with Kei's theory -- by the time he reaches 25 or 26 and starts getting stronger, guys like Murray and Djokovic will be even stronger and tougher from their big-match experience. Plus there will be a whole new crop of 22 year-olds on the rise. Top 20 is a great accomplishment. But going a whole lot higher is not likely.

calm down: "This is not a whinge or an excuse,"

It was, because he wasn't saying it was his personal inability or lack of physical strength and constitution, he was saying he should be excused because he's Asian, and "Asians are different. Physically you have to get to 25 or 26 years old to build the body. It’s different from other countries". So you see it IS an excuse, at the expense of all Asians for that matter. If he's 'parroting' what the coaches tell him then he's just stupid to boot.

Howdy Doody: "I totally agree, Smithinjapan: Both Nishikori and Murray should be ashamed of themselves. Saying such rubbish. Let their play speak for themselves."

Agree that their play should be the ultimate statement, but as with basketball and other sports, height DOES make a difference (not always for the better, either), whereas ethnicity does not. Nishikori's body isn't built the way it is because he's Asian -- it's built the way it is because he's allowed it to be built as such. His bone structure isn't going to suddenly morph over three years, but his musculature and his skill in tennis CAN provided he undergoes the correct diet and training (and that's not limited by ethnicity either).

"Asians are different. Physically you have to get to 25 or 26 years old to build the body. It’s different from other countries,” added Nishikori

Huh?

Oh oh - he is doing the old "Japanese (asians) are unique" schtick... cmon mate - work hard, bulk up like the Euro lads even younger than you, and you will possibly challenge in a year or 2.

This is what I don't like about Asian sportsmen: they are extremely unsporting. They either make excuses about why they lost, cry like babies or blame everything under the sun. I've never yet seen a Japanese sportsman in any sport just come out and say "I lost because the other guy played better than me"

Culture problem?

"Britain's Andy Murray" - heh. This article was clearly written by an English person.

But Michael Chang won the French Open when he was 17. Chang was physically and mentally tough even at that age. The Asian theory is nonsense

Well said, WarnerBro. I agree the theory is garbage. Work hard enough and reach your potential - regardless of ethnicity. I loved watching Michael Chang when I was a kid, one of my favourite players - I even remember when he was in the "Eveready" battery ads! The bloke is a dead-set legend.

Yet, I can see that it will be only a matter of time that another Asian player will win a Grand Slam in tennis ...

Those Chinese are already doing the business and winning them, in womens. Would be nice for Japan if someone steps up and challenges.

Murray said Nishikori was an intelligent player but had the disadvantage of lacking height. Nishikori is 1.78 meters tall, 13 centimeters shorter than the Scot.

“I don’t mean this in a bad way,” Murray said. “The only difference is the height. For me, I can get more on my serve because of my height. That’s of benefit to me.”

Huh?

Asians are different. Physically you have to get to 25 or 26 years old to build the body. It’s different from other countries,”

Rubbish. Or how about 'Asians' from other countries? I was going to say I liked this kid's outlook (ie. "I'm not at my peak yet") until he started making this lame excuse. He's young, he hasn't had as much time or experience in the game as others (Asian or not), and THAT is why he did not do better despite doing very well. It's not because he's Asian. Respect out the window.

Murray beat Nishikoro like he was his daddy, hehe, lol!