Rio 2016: 5 players outside the Big Four to look out for

#2. Kei Nishikori

Nishikori will be looking to better his quarter-final finish at the London Olympics

The 26-year old has been one of the most promising players in recent times, and the only Japanese male tennis player to reach the top 10 of the ATP rankings.

The World No.6 has so far had a decent year with a runner-up finish at the Miami, semi-final finishes at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open in addition to making it to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells and the Australian Open. He has had an overall decent performance in the other Grand Slams with fourth round finishes at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.Nishikori will be playing at his third Olympics in Rio and will be looking to better his quarter-final finish at London where he beat then fourth seeded David Ferrer in the third round before losing to eventual bronze medallist Juan Martin Del Potro. Nishikori is a versatile player with solid shots on both wings in addition to strong ground strokes and return strokes which has seldom fetched him winners against tough opponents.

Out of Nishikori’s 6 victories against the Big Four, five have come on hard courts where the tournament will be held.

It was also on this surface that Nishikori reached the final of the 2014 US Open before losing to Marin Cilic. Nishikori’s form has been somewhat consistent this year and if he can continue his form then he would well be a player to be wary of and may be hand Japan their first Olympics medal in tennis since 1920.