Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori was defeated in the final official match of his career and said goodbye to the court in tears, according to NHKニュース. The report was published on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The loss came at the Japan Open, where the second day of play also saw Sho Shimabukuro eliminated in the first round, 産経ニュース reported. In doubles, the pair featuring Kaito Uesugi advanced past its opening match, according to the same outlet.
Reaction to Nishikori's career has come from across Japanese sport. Former player Shuzo Matsuoka praised Nishikori's achievements, saying he helped carry Japanese sport to the world, and noted that Nishikori came before figures such as Shohei Ohtani, according to 東スポWEB. Actor Ken Ishiguro described the feeling of watching Nishikori play as similar to the excitement of seeing a great performance, webスポルティーバ reported.
A columnist for 山陰中央新報デジタル wrote that Nishikori's farewell carried no sense of strain, describing a 19-year run that took him from Shimane to a world ranking of No. 4.
Nishikori's retirement closes a career that spanned nearly two decades on the professional tour. What comes next for Japanese men's tennis, and how the Japan Open field unfolds without him, will be the focus in the days ahead.
