Tokyo: Japan’s social media lit up on Sunday as the country awoke to the news that Kei Nishikori had become the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
Nishikori completed a historic 6-4, 1-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory over the world number one Novak Djokovic in New York in the early hours of the morning local time, which public broadcaster NHK hailed as “an unprecedented achievement for Japan”.
The Nikkei Shimbun economic newspaper even updated its online homepage to carry news of the triumph.
Many bleary-eyed tennis fanatics had to watch live internet streams of the match — which began just after one o’clock in the morning Japan time and lasted close to three hours — with the action only available on television via a satellite subscription network.
One hardcore Nishikori fan, Minako Takigawa, 35, told AFP: “It’s so amazing. I stayed up to watch and still can’t sleep I’m still buzzing. I’ll be a nervous wreck for the final.”
TV commentators screamed themselves hoarse, yelling “Nishikori through to the final!” as the 24-year-old dropped his racquet after clinching match point before sheepishly ruffling his hair, scarcely able to believe the scale of his achievement.
In Nishikori’s hometown of Matsue in rural Shimane prefecture, some 300 fans cheered on their idol while watching on a giant screen, Nishikori retweeting a photo of them waving banners as he stormed to the biggest win in Japanese tennis history.
“I don’t care too much about history,” world number 11 Nishikori told local media.
“I might feel a bit nervous but I definitely believe I can keep this form going and go on to win it.”
