Is Nishikori as naturally talented as Agassi?

[GRASScaraz]

Nishikori is one of the tough rivals Djokovic had a decade ago, very high peak, crazy good hands, able to hit the ball early, generates pace despite a small build, able to hit winners from anywhere.

His major weakness was a fragile body, but when it comes to natural talent, can we compare him with Agassi? I would go even further and say he was more talented than Agassi, but faced a much stronger era.

 

[StrongRule]

Nishikori is one of the tough rivals Djokovic had a decade ago, very high peak, crazy good hands, able to hit the ball early, generates pace despite a small build, able to hit winners from anywhere.

His major weakness was a fragile body, but when it comes to natural talent, can we compare him with Agassi? I would go even further and say he was more talented than Agassi, but faced a much stronger era.

 

[NatF]

Better than Agassi, tennis evolves. Poor Djokovic.

 

[Aabye5]

Nishikori is one of the tough rivals Djokovic had a decade ago, very high peak, crazy good hands, able to hit the ball early, generates pace despite a small build, able to hit winners from anywhere.

His major weakness was a fragile body, but when it comes to natural talent, can we compare him with Agassi? I would go even further and say he was more talented than Agassi, but faced a much stronger era.

No, but like Andre, Kei had a natural instinct for the sport and excellent technique. Clean, classic groundstrokes.

His early coaches should take a bow. (Thinking pre-Bollettieri)

 

[ChaelAZ]

Nish is a bummer and one of my fave players because he was a similar balanced, moving, returning player like Agassi. But he was injured right out of the gate with the elbow, then so many other re-injuries and niggling things basically from 2014 and on. I couldn't even say he got to maximize his career best he could, because we got to see glimpses of how good he was, but too much hampered, moderated play for most the time. Nice to see him still trying to get in the mix, but pulling out of Miami was just another piece of a unfortunate career.

 

[3loudboys]

Naturally gifted with exquisite timing off both wings. Efficient mover, but as others have said injuries took their toll.

 

[NYTennisfan]

Nishikori had beautiful technique on his groundstrokes and some good zip but I never considered him some uber talented guy. He had plenty of talent sure but I don't think it was special talent. Even if his body didn't fail him, I doubt he would have won a Slam but he also had the misfortune along with so many others (the early to mid 90s born players especially) to be stuck in arguably the Strongest Era of all time.

 

[Nostradamus]

just destroyed krueger at age 40. yea he''s a great ,, i didn't see agassi doing that at age 40

 

[gamelovergold]

Tell me you have not seen golden years of agassi . Agassi was far more talented than your nishikori.

 

[mike danny]

Nishikori had beautiful technique on his groundstrokes and some good zip but I never considered him some uber talented guy. He had plenty of talent sure but I don't think it was special talent. Even if his body didn't fail him, I doubt he would have won a Slam but he also had the misfortune along with so many others (the early to mid 90s born players especially) to be stuck in arguably the Strongest Era of all time.

Marin Cilic too strong

 

[ghostofMecir]

One of the most gifted ball strikers we’ve ever seen but fragile with a weak, serve that limited his ceiling. Nobody on tour right now strikes the ball better than he does.

 

[Lleytonstation]

lol, Nishi was the first true pigeon.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[NYTennisfan]

Marin Cilic too strong

2014 US Open Cilic was a crazy high peak

 

[Bride of Alcaraz]

Was Nishikori talented enough to beat elite players on grass, clay and hardcourt?
His winning% was slightly higher on clay (.680) than hardcourt (.666), but he only won 2 clay titles, while he won 10 hardcourt titles, and nothing on grass (and only won .609 of his grass matches).
Nishikori is a lot better at 5-setters than most slam champions even, so perhaps Nishikori actually is an overachiever and has achieved better results than his talent level...

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Indeed. The idea of....Nishikori...having any advantages over Agassi is absurd and laughable on its face (and this is coming from one who is not a fan of Agassi by any stretch of the imagination).

 

[Martin J]

[deleted]

 

[Kralingen]

Even when he was playing PETE, Andre was able to do better than 2-5000

 

[Martin J]

Even when he was playing PETE, Andre was able to do better than 2-5000

0-4 at the USO, bud.

 

[Tennis Devolution]

One of the most gifted ball strikers we’ve ever seen but fragile with a weak, serve that limited his ceiling. Nobody on tour right now strikes the ball better than he does.

Nope, kei nishikori could not and still cannot win any grand slam titles with any of his groundstrokes so no, kei nishikori does not at all strike the ball "better" at all ever.

 

[mental midget]

really good player, but not 'special' the way agassi was....his ballstriking and returns were a clear notch above. again, though...kei was quite good and injuries definitely robbed him of some more good results.

 

[big ted]

What is natural talent? From what I understand father agassi taped a wooden paddle to andres hand & hit balls before he could even walk… so Andre’s “talent” seems learned to me…?




From the Beacon Northwestern
“He always hated it. And he hated it for good reason. In the crib, his father duct-taped a ping-pong paddle to his hand and built him a ping-pong ball mobile so that he could start his illustrious tennis career as an infant. Agassi’s father also built what Andre refers to as “the Dragon.” The Dragon was a customized tennis ball shooter that shot balls out at 120 miles per hour. Andre had to return those suckers when he was seven.”

 

[Bride of Alcaraz]

What is natural talent? From what I understand father agassi taped a wooden paddle to andres hand & hit balls before he could even walk… so Andre’s “talent” seems learned to me…?

If reflexes are created by training drills, then its not natural i guess.
Agassi's reflexes separated him from everyone else...

 

[nolefam_2024]

Agassi serve better

 

[nolefam_2024]

Agassi return better

Agassi groundstrokes better

 

[RSJfan]

Nishikori is one of the tough rivals Djokovic had a decade ago, very high peak, crazy good hands, able to hit the ball early, generates pace despite a small build, able to hit winners from anywhere.

His major weakness was a fragile body, but when it comes to natural talent, can we compare him with Agassi? I would go even further and say he was more talented than Agassi, but faced a much stronger era.

Egg v Glass:

18-2

 

[RSJfan]

lol, Nishi was the first true pigeon.

A true pigeon among pigeons.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Glassikori is an awesome player, but I don’t think he has the all-court instincts that Agassi had. Didn’t have that same natural aptitude to capitalise on the all-out assault of his ground game moving forward.

Even though Nishikori was extremely clutch (He is without question the King of the Fifth Set in the slow court era) he didn’t have quite the same clutch level abilities that ‘Dre had in being able to mount a challenge against the Titans of his era.

‘Dre had the Herculean challenge of climbing Mt Sampras, something he did several times over and perfected in 1995. GOATkori never really had an analogue in his career, even though he is still impressively clutch.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Glassikori is an awesome player, but I don’t think he has the all-court instincts that Agassi had. Didn’t have that same natural aptitude to capitalise on the all-out assault of his ground game moving forward.

Even though Nishikori was extremely clutch (He is without question the King of the Fifth Set in the slow court era) he didn’t have quite the same clutch level abilities that ‘Dre had in being able to mount a challenge against the Titans of his era.

‘Dre had the Herculean challenge of climbing Mt Sampras, something he did several times over and perfected in 1995. GOATkori never really had an analogue in his career, even though he is still impressively clutch.

I would assume kei moves forward more than Andre baseline hugger did.

 

[RSJfan]

Egg v Glass:

18-2

20-2 if you count Oly and tour finals, including the last 18x in a row. Glass last won at 2014 USO.

One of Egg’s great rivals (from a decade ago!). I love TTW.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Kei lacks the power in his strokes that Andre has. Screw talent. Power is talent as well.

 

[Subway Tennis]

I would assume kei moves forward more than Andre baseline hugger did.

Agassi is obviously a great baseliner, but much like Hewitt he also had superb hands at net and use them when needed in any conditions. He had instincts in the forecourt and ways to capitalise on his ground game that Glassikori doesn’t have.

No sledge against Glassikori, but he is being weighted against a great of the sport.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

One of the most gifted ball strikers we’ve ever seen

Hardly. ...and if what you posted held any truth at all, his colossal failure to win even a single major strongly suggests he was the subject of astoundingly inferior coaching, or he lacked any court insight to support his alleged "gifts".

Nope, kei nishikori could not and still cannot win any grand slam titles with any of his groundstrokes so no, kei nishikori does not at all strike the ball "better" at all ever.

True; I remember the ridiculous hype around Nishikori from many Talk Tennis Warehouse members (along with their offensive "ninja" nickname they tried to sell to no buyers), and how they were all so misguided in their belief he was a majors winner waiting to happen.

 

[Sudacafan]

What have we done to deserve this?

 

[Subway Tennis]

What match do people consider was Glassikori at his absolute zenith?

The 2014 Madrid final really sums up the highs and lows of GOATkori in a single event for me.

The guy was toying with Nadal and then right as he secured the crucial break in the second set his body literally started disintegrating step by step until he retired the match barely able to support his own body weight with his back injury.

Very few players from the Big 3 generation have ever shown anything like that type of ability against Rafa in a clay final (admittedly Rafa’s least favourite type of clay conditions) and for me it really sums up what Kei was capable of.

 

[RSJfan]

What have we done to deserve this?

“You know what you did.” — Taylor Fritz

 

[Kralingen]

I do think that Nishikori probably does have more ‘natural’ talent, yes.

He comes from a tennis desert with like zero history of good players and didn’t have access to anywhere near the same training Andre did.

 

[Dae18]

I would compare Nishikori with Nalbandian more than with Agassi but Nalbandian also had natural talent so

 

[nolefam_2024]

Nothing is natural talent. Everything is artificial. Andre is far better than these guys. He has great timing and power.

 

[johnmccabe]

Nish is a bummer and one of my fave players because he was a similar balanced, moving, returning player like Agassi. But he was injured right out of the gate with the elbow, then so many other re-injuries and niggling things basically from 2014 and on. I couldn't even say he got to maximize his career best he could, because we got to see glimpses of how good he was, but too much hampered, moderated play for most the time. Nice to see him still trying to get in the mix, but pulling out of Miami was just another piece of a unfortunate career.

If he had the mindset of Goffin, he could do a lot better, I think. He doesn't seem to manage risk well enough to fully capitalize his technical talent. My thinking after watching them play recently as old guards.

 

[johnmccabe]

I do think that Nishikori probably does have more ‘natural’ talent, yes.

He comes from a tennis desert with like zero history of good players and didn’t have access to anywhere near the same training Andre did.

Great talent in techniques, much less so in tactics.

 

[The Green Mile]

Those many Raonic and Nishikori matches with Novak they had around that few year span a decade or so ago, it was like beating a dead horse. Some of the most annoying memories as tennis fan lol, especially Raonic. At least Kei had a few great battles I suppose, even if the result was almost always the same.

 

[Kralingen]

Great talent in techniques, much less so in tactics.

I always felt his sub-elite ability to hit on the move let him down. It wasn’t that he was bad, he was very good at it. But to maximize his style of play, he needed to master the sliding FH/BH on the stretch the way he did from a standstill, and he just didn’t.

 

[RSJfan]

…
He comes from a tennis desert with like zero history of good players and didn’t have access to anywhere near the same training Andre did.

He had access to the same tennis resources as Agassi: NB tennis academy.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Natural talent what ? He is being overpowered even in rallies.

 

[big ted]

He had access to the same tennis resources as Agassi: NB tennis academy.

Kei didn’t have someone duct tape a paddle to his hand in the crib tho.. this can make a difference

 

[Subway Tennis]

Those many Raonic and Nishikori matches with Novak they had around that few year span a decade or so ago, it was like beating a dead horse. Some of the most annoying memories as tennis fan lol, especially Raonic. At least Kei had a few great battles I suppose, even if the result was almost always the same.

That AO semifinal that Rao lost against Murray right when he was on the cusp of greatness was painful to watch. I’m a Murray fan but even I was incredibly frustrated for Raonic.

 

[MichaelNadal]

0-4 at the USO, bud.

 

[RSJfan]

Kei didn’t have someone duct tape a paddle to his hand in the crib tho.. this can make a difference

You’ve done some studies to support this notion?

 

[RSJfan]

That AO semifinal that Rao lost against Murray right when he was on the cusp of greatness was painful to watch…