Kei Nishikori is set to embark on the North American hard-court swing for one last time ahead of his retirement from tennis.
Earlier this year, the Japanese star announced he would call an end to his playing days after the conclusion of the 2026 season, stating on social media: “I can proudly say that I gave it my all.”
Nishikori enjoyed the prime of his career in the mid-2010s, reaching the US Open final in 2014 before earning his best ranking of world number four in 2015.
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Over the past few years, injuries have derailed Nishikori, and now at 36 he has made the decision to close this chapter of his life.
Nishikori will feature at the Washington Open this week after receiving a wildcard for the ATP 500 event.
Also in action in Washington is American home hope Frances Tiafoe, who had high praise for the veteran.
Frances Tiafoe says Kei Nishikori retiring from tennis is ‘crazy’
“I’m a big fan of Kei,” said Tiafoe in his pre-tournament press conference. “Through and through, he’s one of the nicest guys.
“A great player, a hell of a career. Obviously this is his last year and a wild card here and playing.
“It’s been fun to watch him play for so many years. We’ve gotten really close over the years. Yeah, I mean, him retiring is kind of crazy.
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“Makes me feel like I’m obviously getting old. To hear him say it’s my 10th appearance, and it’s wild to see that he’s calling it a career pretty soon.
“He’s one of — obviously, in Japan it doesn’t get much bigger than him. Maybe Ohtani. He’s a special athlete and a special guy.
“I hope he enjoys the rest of the year, and yeah, I hope I get to play him. I got to beat him, because we only played once, and he beat me back in the day, so I want to beat him on the way out, for sure.”
Tiafoe and Nishikori’s sole meeting on the ATP Tour came at the Vienna Open back in 2018, where the US player fell in three sets.
Kei Nishikori’s first opponent at the 2026 Washington Open
The Washington Open marks the first ATP Tour-level competition Nishikori has featured at in nearly a year.
He has appeared at Challenger events, but his last tour-level campaign was the 2025 Cincinnati Open, where he suffered a first-round exit.
Nishikori’s first opponent in Washington comes in the form of Shang Juncheng, whom he has faced three times before.
Leading the head-to-head 2-1, Nishikori last beat Shang in 2025 in Hong Kong.
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