Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from the ATP 1000 Rolex Shanghai Masters, which is set to take place from October 4-15. This comes after injuries led the Japanese player to miss most of the season.

Former World No. 4 Nishikori returned to the sport in June 2023 after almost two years away. He had initially announced that he would be undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left hip back in January 2022, stating his hopes of being back on the ATP Tour in about six months. 

However, this extended to a year when he later revealed his aim to return at the 2023 Australian Open. Unfortunately, though, he had to wait even longer after a foot injury forced him to delay his return further.

Nishikori eventually made a comeback in June of this year at the Challenger 75 2023 Caribbean Open in Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico.

The 33-year-old defeated Michael Zheng in the final to become the only player ever to win an ATP Challenger title while unranked. He also won his first match back on the ATP Tour at the Atlanta Open.

However, Nishikori will now have to press pause on his career once again as he continues to deal with injuries. He has previously revealed that he was considering retiring from the sport during his hiatus but opted to return instead after seeing Roger Federer at an event last year.

"Of course, I've been on the verge of retirement. When I saw Roger, I finally though that I can continue playing tennis over 30 years of age," he said.

The Shanghai Masters is set to feature a lot of top-ranked players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.

Meanwhile, Nishikori has not yet withdrawn from the Japan Open in Tokyo, but it is now predicted that he will do so as he works toward another comeback.