Former World No.4 Kei Nishikori may have been struggling with injuries over the past few years, but the Japanese star is determined to keep fighting on the tennis courts as long as he is physically capable.

The 33-year old had been sidelined for nearly 20 months before making his comeback in June 2023. After appearing in just four tournaments, Nishikori sustained a knee injury at the Atlanta Open in July before missing the US Open and withdrawing from this week's Japan Open.

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Nishikori vows to keep pushing, denies loss of passion for the sport

"I feel like I will keep playing until my body is completely burned out, I've not lost my passion at all," he said in an interview with Daily Online. "I want to play a tennis match, at the moment it's unlikely for me to end my career because of a loss of passion. If I stop, it should be because of physical limitations.

"Now I'm just waiting, hoping the day when I can unleash my power will come. If I can play several events for the rest of the year, I'll start playing from the beginning of the year, Australian Open, next year."

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The 2014 US Open runner-up is a home favorite at the Japan Open, where he has lifted the title twice, in 2012 and 2014. Although he was hoping to make a return in front of the Tokyo fans, Nishikori announced his withdrawal after realizing he was not 100% fit to compete.