Hong Kong Open 2025: Kei Nishikori makes first final in six years as Juncheng Shang retires mid-match

Kei Nishikori will face Alexandre Muller in the final of the 2025 Hong Kong Open on Sunday after taking down Juncheng Shang due to the Chinese ace retiring unwell midway through the semi-final.

Nishikori is into his first final in six years in Hong Kong and will face the Frenchman in the final who in comparison to the 4-3 in favour of the Japanese ace that it ended had a grueller.

Muller managed to edge through in three sets against Munar 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 with Nishikori potentially serving up a golden day for Japanese tennis with Naomi Osaka also into the final in Auckland. It could be two players firmly on the comeback trail who find their way back into the ascendancy.

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Nishikori is up to at least 74th in the world after his run this week ascending 32 spots up the rankings. He could be as high as 62nd come tomorrow with the potential to displace Yoshihito Nishioka and Roman Safiullin and ironically sit just behind Muller and Munar who reached the semi-finals.

It has been a strong comeback for a player who had to have hip surgery in 2022 and have an arthroscopic surgery at that on his let hip. He struggled to return from there but he showed glimmers reaching his first Masters Quarter-Final in five years last out.

A player who was a stalwart in the top five during the Djokovic, Federer and Nadal era. He is 35 and still playing some epic tennis and could pick up his first main tour title since 2019 in Brisbane and a final record that currently sits at 12-14 for and against losing.

Can Nishikori continue to roll back the years or will the Frenchman stop him in his tracks? Time will certainly tell but this week is evidence that Nishikori can still compete at the top level.

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