US EditionTennis Trailblazer Kei Nishikori Announces His Retirement
- On Thursday, Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori announced plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season, sharing the news on social media to conclude a decorated professional career.
- Persistent physical setbacks prompted the decision, with Nishikori admitting last month he was "barely hanging on" after missing the Australian Open in January due to right shoulder pain.
- The 36-year-old achieved historic milestones as the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam final at the 2014 US Open against Marin Cilic and won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics after defeating Rafael Nadal.
- Moving to Florida at age 14 to train, Nishikori turned professional in 2007 and became the first Japanese man in the ATP top 10, securing 12 ATP Tour titles with his last victory at Brisbane in 2019.
- Reflecting on his departure, Nishikori said he "still wish" he could continue, yet he can "proudly say that I gave it my all" and plans to cherish every remaining match before stepping away.
40 Articles
40 Articles
Japanese trailblazer Nishikori to retire
Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the 2014 US Open. Photo: Getty Images Kei Nishikori says he will hang up his racquet at the end of the 2026 season, bringing down the curtain on a professional career that saw him break new ground for Japanese tennis.
Japanese tennis trailblazer Nishikori to retire at season’s end after ‘hanging on’
Kei Nishikori, Asia’s most decorated men’s tennis player, on Friday said that he would retire at the end of the season after a career ravaged by injury. The 36-year-old became the first Japanese player to reach a grand slam final at the 2014 US Open, eventually losing to Croatia’s Marin Cilic. He was the first Japanese man to climb into the top 10 in the ATP world rankings, reaching a career high of No 4, and won 12 titles on tour. Nishikori als…
Japanese Kei Nishikori, who won the bronze medal in men's singles at the 2016 Olympic Games, has announced that he has decided to draw the line at his successful career.
Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has announced that he will retire from competitive tennis at the end of this season. He has struggled with injuries in recent years.
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