By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday, April 23, 2025
At 35, Kei Nishikori continues to thrive on the ATP tour, amassing impressive victories along the way.
In a thrilling encounter on Thursday in Madrid, Nishikori triumphed over Aleksandar Vukic with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, marking a significant milestone as he became the eighth active player to achieve 450 match wins. Notably, he stands out as the first Asian man to reach this remarkable figure, while also holding 12 ATP titles.
Coming from a nation that had not previously celebrated a Top-40 player in tennis, Nishikori’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. What has been his secret to success?
“I honestly have no clue,” he chuckled on the court. “I just focus on playing one match at a time.”
A finalist in Madrid back in 2014, Nishikori is now set to take on Denis Shapovalov in the second round, with aspirations to rack up at least 50 more victories.
“That sounds like a lot,” he reflected on his current tally. “But reaching 500 wins would be amazing.”
Current ATP Players with 450+ Wins:
Djokovic, 1136
Gasquet, 609
Cilic, 590
Monfils, 581
Wawrinka, 579
Zverev, 482
Dimitrov, 471
Nishikori, 450
The Shimane native, who underwent hip surgery in 2022, was recognized as a nominee for the ATP Comeback Player of the Year in 2024. He kicked off the season with a remarkable run to the final in Hong Kong, his first ATP final in six years.
