Kei Nishikori retirement: heartbreaking exit ends 19 years

Dustin Judge
Kei Nishikori retirement: Kei Nishikori hits a forehand at the Australian Open

The Kei Nishikori retirement became official Thursday, Oct. 1, when the 36-year-old lost 6-4, 6-4 to American Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the Japan Open in Tokyo, the final match of a 19-year professional career.

Nishikori, who had announced earlier this year that he would step away from the sport, played his last match in front of a home crowd that gave him a long ovation, according to Last Word on Sports. Tiafoe, the winner, has been a regular in our tennis coverage this season.

Kei Nishikori retirement: a farewell in his home country

Reuters reported that Nishikori was emotional afterward. “I’m proud that I didn’t give up and played right to the finish,” he said.

Djokovic was among the stars who sent video tributes. “Your resilience and your fighting spirit to always come back after all the adversity you had with your body, injuries and everything that you faced is really commendable,” Novak Djokovic said, according to the Taipei Times. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz and Grigor Dimitrov also contributed messages.

What the Kei Nishikori retirement closes out

Nishikori finishes with 12 ATP Tour titles and 452 singles wins, Reuters reported. He won the Japan Open in 2012 and 2014, and he reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 2015.

His signature run came at the 2014 U.S. Open, where he beat Djokovic and became the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final. He lost that final to Marin Cilic. Two years later he won bronze at the Rio Olympics by beating Rafael Nadal in the third-place match.

Injuries and the end of the road

Recurring injuries limited Nishikori’s recent schedule, Reuters reported, and they were behind the decision to retire. The Kei Nishikori retirement closes a chapter for Asian men’s tennis, which he helped lift onto the biggest stages.

For more tennis, read about Tiafoe’s towel mishap in Houston and Lois Boisson’s run in Adana.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.