Kei Nishikori announces retirement at the end of the 2026 season after decorated career

Former Grand Slam finalist and world number four Kei Nishikori has announced his retirement from tennis at the end of the year, completing a decorated career where he put Japanese tennis on the main stage.

A trailblazer for Asian tennis, the 36-year-old has completed so much in the sport and will have one last chance to live out his time as a professional tennis player with the end soon in sight. He joins the long list of players who are calling it quits at the end of the year. That includes Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, David Goffin and Roberto Bautista Agut to name a few.

Nishikori turned professional in 2007 and won his first ATP title just a year later at Delray Beach. This would be the first of 12 titles from 27 ATP finals he reached in his time as a professional. The next of which was a special one: the 2012 Japan Open title.

Winning on home soil was just the start of what would be a brilliant career. 2014 was one of the most significant. He made his first Masters 1000 final at the Madrid Open before going all the way to the US Open final. He would lose both matches to Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic respectively. He became the first player Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final in a historic achievement.

He continued to go deep in major tournaments while regularly challenging for other titles and accolades on the ATP Tour. However, injuries would play their part in his downfall. After winning a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics, he suffered a wrist injury in 2017 which kept him out for the rest of the year and saw him drop out of the top 20.

He clambered back into the top 10 with thanks to a semi-final run at the US Open. Earlier that year, he made it to a fourth and final Masters 1000 final. It was a fourth defeat as another big title escaped his grasp. His last title came in 2019 at the Brisbane International, ending a run of nine straight final defeats.

Hip, elbow, and shoulder issues have seen him spend an extended amount of time on the sidelines. His last Grand Slam appearance came at the 2025 Australian Open where he reached the second round. Now mostly playing his trade on the Challenger Tour, he only has a few months left to enjoy the sport before retiring.

He released the news 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."

Currently ranked 464, will hope to end his tennis career spanning almost two decades on a positive note.