Kei Nishikori, aged 36, announced his retirement from professional tennis in an emotional farewell at the Japan Open, stating he fought “until the end”. The former world number four played his final match against American Frances Tiafoe, who defeated him with a score of 6-4, 6-4 in the tournament’s first round.
Throughout his 19-year career, Nishikori faced numerous physical challenges and injuries that hindered his performance. Following his match with Tiafoe, Nishikori completed a lap of honor at the central court in Tokyo, where he had previously won titles in 2012 and 2014.
“Playing in Japan is always a special moment. I wished I could have performed a little better, but I am happy that I continued to fight until the end. I am proud that I did not give up and played until the last point,” Nishikori remarked.
During the retirement ceremony, organizers presented a tribute video featuring messages from tennis greats Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Michael Chang.
“Your recovery ability and fighting spirit, the way you bounced back after so many obstacles, are admirable. I am very happy you are ending your career in your city, in your country, in front of your fans. You truly deserve this farewell.” – Novak Djokovic’s message to Kei Nishikori at his retirement.
Nishikori, who began playing tennis at the age of five and moved to Florida at 14, achieved 12 ATP singles titles and secured 40 victories against top-10 ranked players. His highest ranking was fourth in the world.
Regarded as one of the greatest players in history without a Grand Slam title, Nishikori reached a historic milestone in 2014 by becoming the first Japanese player to qualify for a Grand Slam final at the US Open, where he faced Marin Cilic, ultimately losing 3-6, 3-6, 3-6.
During that tournament in New York, Nishikori famously defeated world number one Novak Djokovic.
Additionally, he won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics after defeating Rafael Nadal.
Nishikori was the first player from Japan to enter the ATP top 10 and leaves behind a remarkable record of 72.5% in deciding sets, the third-best percentage in ATP history, surpassed only by Bjorn Borg (73.4%) and John McEnroe (72.8%), according to BBC reports.
Video Summary of Kei Nishikori’s Final Tennis Match
