'I kept fighting right to the end' - emotional Nishikori retires

Kei Nishikori has announced his retirement from professional tennis, concluding his career at the Japan Open tournament in Tokyo. Despite facing numerous injuries and periods of inactivity on the ATP Tour, Nishikori delivered a strong performance against Frances Tiafoe in his final match, ultimately falling 6-4, 6-4 to the second seed.

Upon his retirement, Nishikori received heartfelt messages from fellow tennis legends such as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray, and Carlos Tiafoe himself. In a pre-recorded video, Murray praised Nishikori's "amazing career" and his "phenomenal backhand," while Tiafoe called him "one of the best players of all time." Carlos Alcaraz echoed similar sentiments, declaring Nishikori a "true legend" and congratulating him on his career milestones.

Alexander Zverev also expressed his admiration, stating that Nishikori has been an inspiration to many. World No. 9, Milos Raonic, hailed Nishikori as a "true role model" for young players. Additionally, former coach Michael Chang predicted that Nishikori's career was far from over, expressing confidence that his best performances lay ahead.

A look back at Nishikori's career reveals that he never won a Grand Slam title but achieved a career-high ranking of world number four in 2015, won 12 ATP titles, and claimed a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics.