Kei Nishikori, the most decorated men’s tennis player Asia has produced, announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the 2026 season, drawing the curtain on a career that opened doors for a generation of Japanese players but was repeatedly interrupted by injury.
The 36-year-old shared the news in a lengthy post on Instagram and X, written in both Japanese and English. “Today, I have an announcement. I have decided to retire from professional tennis at the end of this season,” Nishikori wrote, adding that he had been driven since childhood by a single ambition: to compete on the world stage.
A trailblazer for Japan and Asia
Nishikori became the first Japanese man to break into the ATP top 10 and climbed as high as No. 4 in the world rankings. In 2014, he became the first man from an Asian country to reach a Grand Slam singles final, defeating then-world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the US Open semi-finals before falling to Marin Cilic in the title match. He won 12 ATP titles from 27 finals, claimed bronze in singles at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and posted one of the strongest deciding-set records in tour history.
Born in Shimane Prefecture in western Japan, Nishikori moved to Florida at the age of 14 to train at the IMG Academy. He turned professional in 2007 and won his first ATP title a year later at Delray Beach, becoming, at 18, the youngest American-soil champion at the event in years. The 2014 season remained his career best — four titles, a 54-14 record, semi-final runs at multiple Masters 1000 events, and the US Open final.
Years dogged by injury
Nishikori’s last tour-level title came in Brisbane in 2019, and the years that followed were defined more by rehabilitation than results. He missed this year’s Australian Open with a right shoulder problem, sat out last year’s US Open, and is currently ranked No. 464. He has spent the 2026 season on the second-tier Challenger Tour, most recently exiting in the second round in Savannah, Georgia.
“There were also times when I was overwhelmed by frustration and anxiety due to repeated injuries that prevented me from playing as I wanted,” he wrote. “Even so, my love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court.”
Gratitude, and a final stretch
Nishikori said he was reluctantly stepping away while still wanting to compete. “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,” he wrote. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.”
Tributes followed quickly. The ATP Tour wrote on social media: “Thank you for all the memories.” Nishikori joins a notable group of veterans calling time on their careers in 2026, alongside Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils, David Goffin and Roberto Bautista Agut.
His remaining schedule has not been confirmed. Nishikori said he intended to “cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.”
