Tag Archive for 'florida'

Project 45 is the name that has been given the development program of Kei Nishikori, the new star of men’s tennis, 5th in the world ranking. Project 45 because it is a place ahead of the 46th position, which has been the best ranking achieved by a Japanese. To obtain this result Nishikori at 14 years moved from Japan to Florida. His father, an engineer, thought: “that the Japanese players were unsuccessful because their individualism is weak when compared with that of the players from overseas.” The same concept exposed by IMG Tennis vice-president Olivier van Lindonk: “Japan is so respectful culture, but you don’t get ahead in tennis by bowing.” Concepts hard but also shared by Masaki Morita, Sony’s executive and younger brother of its founder, who was the honorary chairman of Japanese Federtennis. He  sent the best young players in the US to learn the hierarchical structure of Japan: “I had noticed that Japanese children were playing very well from the technical point of view at home but when they could not win overseas.”

In Florida he found Brad Gilbert as a coach, impressed with his technique but too shy on the field. They did play against players who were playing ugly and he had to cope them alone, without anyone to help him. Only Nishikori resisted this treatment while the other Japanese players left. Nishikori remembers that he was lonely, he did not know how to express his thoughts and that he was afraid in the same time. He pursued and he came out winning this challenge.