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Kei Nishikori battles to milestone 450th win of career with opening victory in Madrid

He's just the third man born in 1989 or later to reach that number, after Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev.

By John Berkok
How to hit a forehand down-the-line return: Kei Nishikori's version0:31

Kei Nishikori made a winning debut to his European clay-court season on Thursday, battling past Australia's Aleksandar Vukic in his opening match at the Mutua Madrid Open, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

And it was a special win: the 450th of his career.

"I had no idea," Nishikori said when told of his latest milestone. "I just try to play one match at a time, and that's a lot, yes."

He was then asked how many of his 450 wins he remembers.

"Probably 10," he replied. "I have a terrible memory."

The 2014 US Open finalist and former world No. 4, who was born in 1989, is just the third man born in 1989 or later to reach that number, after Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev.

MOST CAREER WINS, MEN BORN IN 1989 OR LATER (tour-level):

  • 482: Alexander Zverev [born in 1997]
  • 471: Grigor Dimitrov [born in 1991]
  • 450: Kei Nishikori [born in 1989]
  • 393: Daniil Medvedev [born in 1996]
  • 383: Milos Raonic [born in 1990]

Coincidentally, Dimitrov and Zverev both got their 450th career wins on the same day last year—September 1st, 2024—in their fourth-round matches at the US Open. Dimitrov was the first to do it with his victory over Andrey Rublev in the first match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium, then Zverev defeated Brandon Nakashima later in the day on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15: Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts in the Men's Singles Second Round match against Tommy Paul of the United States during day four of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 15, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)
© 2025 Shi Tang

In Madrid on Thursday, Nishikori was playing his first match in more than three weeks, since retiring during his second-round match against Chris Eubanks in Houston due to a back injury.

He's had plenty of success in the Spanish capital before, reaching the quarterfinals or better five years in a row from 2013 to 2017—which includes a runner-up finish to Rafael Nadal in 2014.

"I'm happy to be back here," he said afterwards in his on-court interview. "I couldn't play here the last three years, I think, and this is different conditions, very tough, but I have good memories playing the final a long time ago, and I love to play this week."

Awaiting the former No. 4 in the second round of the Masters 1000 event will be another former Top 10 player, former No. 10 Denis Shapovalov, who—as the No. 29 seed—had a first-round bye.

Nishikori leads Shapovalov in their head-to-head, 2-1, but they've only played once since 2018—in the first round of Hong Kong earlier this year—and Nishikori cruised that day, 6-2, 6-3.