Kei Nishikori’s professional tennis career ended with a straight-sets defeat to Frances Tiafoe at the Japan Open on Thursday, closing a career that took the Japanese player to a Grand Slam final and a career-high ranking of world No. 4. The 36-year-old lost 6–4, 6–4 in the first round at Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum. Tiafoe, the second seed, advanced, while spectators stayed to applaud Nishikori after his final match. Organisers also honoured him with a video tribute featuring messages from leading players.
Nishikori had announced earlier in 2026 that he planned to retire at the end of the season. The Japan Open became his farewell event, with the tournament granting him a wild card for one final appearance in front of his home crowd.
A Farewell on Familiar Ground
The Japan Open was a fitting setting for Nishikori’s final appearance. He won the tournament in 2012 and 2014, two of the 12 ATP Tour singles titles he collected during his career. When organisers confirmed his participation in June, Nishikori said the tournament held many memories for him and that his final appearance there would be emotional. There was no farewell victory. Tiafoe won both sets 6–4 to move into the next round, while Nishikori’s final moments on court were marked by sustained applause from the Tokyo crowd.
How Nishikori Changed Expectations
Nishikori’s defining Grand Slam run came at the 2014 US Open, where he defeated then-world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals to become the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam men’s singles final. His route through New York also included demanding five-set victories over Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka before he defeated Djokovic in four sets. Marin Cilic defeated Nishikori in the final, but the run established a historic milestone for Japanese and Asian men’s tennis. Nishikori later reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in March 2015 and finished his career with 12 ATP Tour singles titles. His success extended to the Olympics, where he won a bronze medal in men’s singles at Rio 2016.
Injuries Shape the Later Years
Injuries disrupted much of the latter part of Nishikori’s career and repeatedly interrupted attempts to return to the highest level of the sport. Despite those setbacks, he continued to compete and made 2026 his farewell season after formally announcing his retirement plans in April. His final Japan Open appearance gave home supporters one last opportunity to watch the country’s most accomplished male player of the modern era compete in Tokyo. The tributes reflected the respect he retained among fellow players. Reuters reported that the farewell video included messages from Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas, with Djokovic praising Nishikori’s resilience through years of physical setbacks.
What Happens Next
For Tiafoe, the match was a first-round victory in an ongoing Japan Open campaign.
For Nishikori, it brought an end to a professional career that began in 2007 and included a US Open final, a career-high world No. 4 ranking, 12 ATP titles and an Olympic bronze medal.
Japan Open organisers are also expected to hold a retirement ceremony for Nishikori on the tournament’s final day
