Kei Nishikori has announced that he is retiring from tennis after the season has finished.
The former US Open finalist is drawing a close on his illustrious career after a 20 year career which has included 12 ATP tour singles titles.
Nishikori is the country’s only top ten singles player in history and has climbed up as high as number four in the world.
The 36 year-old will also be known for winning 451 matches in his career, competing at the Nitto ATP Finals on four occasions and having one of the best deciding set records on the tour as he win 72.4% of them with Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe having a better record.
Announcing the news on social media Nishikori said he was very proud of his efforts throughout his career and will cherish every moment left of his career, “Today, I have an announcement. I have decided to retire from professional tennis at the end of this season,” Nishikori was quoted by the ATP website as saying.
“Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’ Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition, and maintaining a presence in the Top 10 is something I am extremely proud of. Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.
“My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court. I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times.
“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. I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.”
Nishikori is 464 in the world and his last event was a couple weeks ago at the Challenger event in Savannah.
