Kei Nishikori’s full emotional statement as Asian tennis icon makes retirement announcement
Kei Nishikori has announced he will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season while admitting he wishes he could continue in a heartfelt statement.
The Japanese superstar, who is 36, has been a trailblazer for tennis in Asia during an illustrious career that began in 2007.
Having reached his career-high ranking of world No 4 in March 2015, Nishikori holds the distinction of having achieved the highest ranking of any Asian male player in tennis history.
Nishikori finished two seasons ranked inside the top five (2014 and 2016) and a further two inside the top 10 (2015 and 2018). He is the only Asian man to qualify for the ATP Finals, having competed at the prestigious season-ending event in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
The 36-year-old has won 12 ATP Tour singles titles from 27 appearances in finals, with his first title coming in Delray Beach in 2008 and his most recent at the 2019 Brisbane International.
Having played during an era dominated by the Big Three, Nishikori earned three wins against Roger Federer, while he beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic twice each.
Nishikori was a runner-up to Marin Cilic at the 2014 US Open after famously upsetting Djokovic in the semi-finals, while is also a four-time finalist at Masters 1000 events.
More Tennis News
Madrid Open: Arthur Fils reveals impact of Novak Djokovic’s ex-coach before Jannik Sinner clash
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
Nishikori has been plagued by injury issues in the latter stages of his career, and he is currently ranked 464th in the world.
Here is the full retirement announcement Nishikori posted on social media.
“Today, I have an announcement. I have decided to retire from professional tennis at the end of this season,” Nishikori wrote.
“Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’
“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. Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.
“My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court.
“I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times.
“To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. 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. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.”
READ NEXT: Sinner pressure mounts, tennis hit by Saudi money decision and Alcaraz makes an appearance