Japan's Kei Nishikori will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2026 season, the 36-year-old announced on social media, closing the book on a career that reshaped the sport in his home country.
"To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career," Nishikori wrote. "Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all. I am truly happy to have walked this path."
Nishikori turned professional in 2007 and reached a career-high ranking of fourth in the world, becoming the first Japanese player to break into the top ten on the men's tour. He won 12 ATP Tour titles across a career that peaked in 2014, when he became the first player from Japan to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
That US Open run remains the defining chapter of his career. Nishikori beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals before losing to Marin Cilic in straight sets in the final. Two years later, he won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Injuries became a persistent obstacle. He missed extended stretches throughout his career and acknowledged the toll those absences took. "There were also times when I was overwhelmed by frustration and anxiety due to repeated injuries that prevented me from playing as I wanted," he wrote. "Even so, my love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court."
His ranking has since fallen to 464th. He last competed on the main ATP Tour at the Cincinnati Open in August 2025 and has spent 2026 playing on the Challenger Tour. Despite the circumstances, Nishikori said his pride in the career he built remains intact.
"Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition and maintaining a presence in the top 10 is something I am extremely proud of," he wrote. "Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable."
He said he intends to compete through the remaining matches on his schedule before calling it a career at year's end. "I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end," he wrote.
