Kei Nishikori admits that he is approaching the closing stages of his professional career as he outlines plans for a return later this season.
The former world No.4 hasn’t played a professional match since last year’s Indian Wells Open which was held during October. The 32-year-old has been sidelined from action due to a hip problem. After considering ‘several different options’ with his team, Nishikori opted to undergo arthroscopic left hip surgery in January. At the time of the procedure, it was estimated that he would be out of action for roughly six months.
Providing an update on his current health, Nishikori says he hopes to be fit again in time for the US Open in September. It was in New York where he reached his first and only Grand Slam final back in 2014 which he lost to Marin Cilic.
Nishikori adds that he wants to ‘live each day to the fullest’ in reference to how much longer he might continue playing for. According to this week’s ATP rankings, he is the 15th oldest player in the top 100.
“If all goes well, I might be able to play the US Open this year,” Eurosport quoted Nishikori as saying.
“[I’m] trying to be ready in time for the Rakuten Japan Open [in October] if it is held this year.
“I don’t think I have ten more years in my tennis career, so I want to live each day to the fullest.”
The injury-stricken Japanese player has suffered various blows during his career. Prior to his hip surgery, he also underwent an operation on his wrist in 2017 and his elbow in 2019. He has been ranked continuously outside the world’s top 20 since January 2020.
Nishikori, who became a father for the first time last December, is the highest-rank Asian player in the history of the ATP Tour with a total of 12 titles to his name. He also reached the final of a Masters 1000 event on four occasions and is a four-time ATP Finals qualifier. So far in his career, he has won 431 Tour matches.
