Kei Nishikori ended his professional tennis career with a first-round loss to Frances Tiafoe at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Thursday. The 36-year-old fell 6-4, 6-4 to the second-seeded American, concluding a career that saw him become the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam men's singles final.
How did Nishikori's farewell unfold?
Nishikori lost to Tiafoe in straight sets in his final professional match. The Japanese player had announced his retirement plans in May and received a wild-card entry to compete at the Japan Open, the tournament he won in 2012 and 2014. Before the match, Nishikori expressed mixed emotions about playing his last elite-level tournament on home soil, according to ESPN.
What defined Nishikori's career?
Nishikori reached the 2014 US Open final, where he lost in straight sets to Marin Cilic. He achieved a career-high ranking of No. 4 and spent much of his later career managing injuries, including right shoulder pain that kept him out of the 2026 Australian Open. He also missed the 2025 US Open due to injury.
Nishikori made his professional debut in 2007 and competed at the sport's highest level for nearly two decades. His achievement as the first Japanese man to reach a Grand Slam final remains a landmark moment in the country's tennis history.
Sources
- ESPN: Kei Nishikori ends career with Japan Open loss to Frances Tiafoe. Associated Press, 2026-10-01.
Reported from public sources.