In the SV League Championship semifinals held in Osaka on May 9 and 10, Osaka Blue Tigers defeated JTEKT Stings Aichi 3-0 and 3-1, securing a 2-0 series win to advance to the finals.
Yuji Nishida, 26, once again proved his star power in the second match. After losing the first set, he crushed JTEKT’s hopes with decisive plays when his team needed points most. In the first set, the score was tied at 20-20 until Nishida’s powerful serve broke the deadlock. Even when the opponent fought back to 23-23, Nishida pushed ahead again. He recorded the 24th and 25th points in the second set, and sealed the fourth set with his own spike off his own serve.
The third set was particularly impressive. Osaka trailed 10-18 early due to disjointed play, but Nishida’s consecutive service aces narrowed the gap and helped the team regain their rhythm. Although they lost the set 20-25, it seemed to remind them of their own strength—a testament to the ace’s mental fortitude.
However, Nishida remained calm after the match. “I don’t think as complicatedly as people think during the game,” he said. Despite his explosive on-court performance, in the press conference he appeared subdued, like a dragon folding its wings with one eye open. “If you want to think complexly, do it in practice. Today there might have been various mistakes, but I wonder if it’s really necessary to view volleyball from such a macro perspective to win. Even after losing rhythm in the third set, I entered the fourth set thinking that such mentality isn’t needed.”
It is precisely his composure that allows him to adapt to changes in battle. This ability doesn’t come overnight—it requires daily training and a professional spirit that even volleyball insiders praise. “I won’t say ‘everyone should follow his example,’ but Nishida is that much of a professional,” said Kunihiro Shimizu, who, like Nishida, is an opposite hitter and has led Japanese volleyball for years.
Nishida’s life revolves around volleyball. In a pre-season interview, he said, “I only do volleyball. It’s my whole day, and I pour all my time into it. Recently, 24 hours aren’t enough. I arrive at the gym 1.5 to 2 hours before practice starts to run and warm up. That’s my ‘1.5 hours to practice at 100%.’ In team practice, I focus on center of gravity control and jumping technique so I can give 100% from the start. Practicing at 100% connects to performing at 100% in matches, making it easier to give my best. Including recovery, it takes over 10 hours. At home, I do air pressure massage and hydrogen inhalation for over an hour, and finish by moving my body while reflecting on myself.”
Now, ahead of the finals against Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, Nishida spoke with detachment. “They are still a strong team. Last season they also achieved results. But they are just humans like us. I don’t think about it too much. If we do what we need to do, results will follow. It’s not about ‘Suntory’ or ‘Muserskiy’—I just fight as a Blue Tigers player, as Yuji Nishida. It’s not about comparing opponents; we want to fight with pride.”
His words seem to hold the truth of everything. He constantly develops, improves, and corrects techniques—an immense amount of work. That’s why he doesn’t resort to simplistic conclusions like “if we do this, we’ll win” or “the opponent’s weakness is that.” His rational analysis and verification give his explanations a philosophical tone. “If I can embed my logic into my body, I can evolve more. Skipping any step will cause collapse, so I do it carefully. It takes time, and I might smolder somewhere, but I believe that’s the correct path. It’s like a road—smoothing out the bumps…”
As Nishida said before the season, if he follows that path, the road to glory is
