Kei Nishikori tearfully played his final professional match at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Thursday, ending his career at the age of 36. The former world No. 4 lost to American Frances Tiafoe with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Nishikori, who reached the US Open final in 2014 before falling to Marin Cilic, has been a prominent figure in Japanese tennis despite facing numerous injuries in recent years.
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Throughout his career, Nishikori secured 12 titles and was a four-time finalist at Masters 1000 events. He also holds the distinction of having the third-best win ratio in deciding sets in ATP history at 72.5%, trailing only Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe. After his last match, Nishikori expressed gratitude for playing in Japan, saying, "Playing in Japan is always a special moment."
In a heartfelt farewell, Nishikori acknowledged his performance, stating, "I wish I could have put in a slightly more convincing performance. But I'm happy I kept fighting right to the end. I'm proud that I didn't give up and played right to the finish."
A post-match tribute included a video featuring Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and former Japan No. 1 Michael Chang, congratulating him on his career. Djokovic highlighted Nishikori's resilience, saying, "Your resilience and fighting spirit, to always come back after a lot of adversity, is really commendable and admirable. You're going to get the farewell you absolutely deserve."
Nishikori joins fellow veterans Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils in retiring from professional tennis this year.