AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 12, 2014

Kei Nishikori

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Must be very pleased with your progress coming into the tournament, having won yesterday.
KEI NISHIKORI:  Yeah.  I think that's going to help little bit to get some confidence.  It was great match against Tomas yesterday.
It's going to be tough match against Marinko Tuesday.  Yeah, hopefully I can have a good match on Tuesday.

Q.  Could you tell us a bit about Go Soeda and do you think he can give Murray trouble in the first round?
KEI NISHIKORI:  Yeah, can be.  Andy was, you know, injured.  He just coming back.  He's great player, of course, but I don't think he's going to play 100% or 150% first round.
If he can be aggressive.  Andy is really steady on the groundstrokes.  It's not going to be easy match.  Yeah, hopefully he wins.

Q.  What sort of player is Go?  How would you describe him as a player?
KEI NISHIKORI:  I think he start playing more aggressive, try to come in more, hitting big forehands.  Yeah, he should be top 100.  He can be top 50 player.  Hopefully he can come back again to top 50 and we have more strong Japan team.

Q.  You could meet Hewitt third round, potentially Nadal in the fourth round.  That's a pretty tough draw early on.  You lost to Hewitt in Brisbane.
KEI NISHIKORI:  Yeah, I never think about it.  I only see Marinko on the first round.
But, yeah, Lleyton is playing great.  He beat me in Brisbane.  He also win it.  I don't know, he's 32 or 33, but he's still good shape, good playing.
It's good to see, you know, some player like him still playing good.  Hopefully I can play good and beat him.  But you never know.  Hopefully I can win the first one.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports