Kei Nishikori, the first man from Asia to compete in a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era, will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old from Japan made the announcement on Thursday, according to a report from Tennis Majors.
Nishikori achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 4 and won 12 titles on the ATP Tour. His most notable result was his run to the 2014 US Open final, a historic achievement for men's tennis in Asia.
In recent years, Nishikori's career has been significantly affected by injuries, which the Tennis Majors report noted had impacted his final years on the tour.
The retirement of Nishikori marks the eventual departure of another prominent player from the generation that included top Canadians like Milos Raonic. Nishikori was a frequent competitor at Canada's National Bank Open during his career.
Nishikori intends to complete the 2026 ATP season before concluding his career.
Sources
- Tennis Majors: “I still wish I could continue”: Kei Nishikori, the man who put Asian tennis on the Grand Slam map, to retire at season’s end. Published 2026-05-01.
Reported from public sources.