Japan hails its stars Open run

tokyo — Japanese media and fans on Thursday rained down the superlatives on tennis stars Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka who made history by both reaching the US Open semifinals.

“There is no stopping the Japanese players,” screamed the Nikkan Gendai tabloid, after the pair became the first from the country to secure semifinal berths in both singles competitions during a Grand Slam.

Particular praise was heaped on 20-year-old Osaka, who became the first Japanese woman to get into the top four at the US Open. The last Japanese woman to achieve a Grand Slam semifinal was Kimiko Date at Wimbledon in 1996 — a year before Osaka was born. “Osaka was in full throttle from the start,” Nikkan Sports said in its digital edition, reviewing her 6-1, 6-1 quarterfinal victory over Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.

“She showed her strength and accuracy, as well as a cool intellect to predict how her opponent would move.” “She has taken a step into uncharted territory for Japanese women in New York,” the paper added.

Osaka’s feat was credited with lifting the share price of her racquet producer Yonex, which soared more than 10 percent on the Tokyo Stock Exchange while the headline Nikkei index sank.

“Great! I want to see her go against Serena in the final,” said one Twitter user.

“Awesome! Nishikori-san and Naomi Osaka get into the semifinals. Next match is vs Djokovic. Please win,” wrote another.

“I think it’s because of Kei,” Osaka said, holding her hands apart to show how much bigger Nishikori is in Japan, from where her family moved to New York when she was 3. So big, in fact, that she was too nervous to talk to him until recently. Once she did, the 20-year-old Osaka found they had plenty in common. Nishikori, 8 years older, was like a “really big kid” who liked to play video games and have fun like her.

“Overall, he’s just really nice and positive and bubbly and stuff,” Osaka said. Nishikori and Osaka are looking to keep right on going.

“I needed that rest,” said Djokovic, who finally gained the decisive break in the penultimate game of the final set then served it out at love. “I gave it a crack,” said the 29-year-old Millman, who has battled a litany of injuries in his career.

Japan’s Nishikori, who missed last year’s US Open after a seasonending wrist injury, joined compatriot Naomi Osaka in reaching the semis — the first time that a Japanese man and woman have reached the last four in the same Grand Slam. Against Cilic he labored for 4 hours and 8 minutes.

“I don’t know why but it’s always a battle with Marin,” said Nishikori, who stretched his career record over the seventh-seeded Croatian to 9-6.

“I try to fight every point,” said Nishikori, who boasts an impressive record in decisive sets.

“Especially in the end I really focus on every point,” he said but added: “I wish I don’t go to five sets every time.” —