Kei Nishikori made a homecoming farewell in Tokyo.
An emotional Nishikori received a rousing ovation from home fans after falling to Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-4 in the Japan Open in his final professional tennis match.
Former world No. 4 Nishikori went down battling, closing the curtain on a brilliant career that began at the 2007 Tokyo when he was just 17 years old before his home fans.
An aggressive baseliner who owned one of the best backhands of his era, Nishikori made history when he knocked off Novak Djokovic to become the first Asian man to reach a major singles final at the 2014 US Open.
The 36-year-old Nishikori concludes his career with a 452-234 record and 12 tournament titles. Nishikori earned more than $26 million in prize money as well as a reputation as a true gentleman, who treated opponents, media and fans with respect.
“Kei is one of the best talents I have witnessed in tennis,” Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic told the ATP.
Champions praised Nishikori for his dynamic style of play.
“I consider myself a fan,” Carlos Alcaraz told the ATP of Nishikori. “Kei, watching your matches, your tennis, I still do.”
Despite his relatively small size by today’s standards, the 5’10”, 161-pound Nishikori was a fearless baseliner at his best. Nishikori’s ball-control wizardry and skill taking the ball on the rise helped him defeat bigger, more powerful opponents.
Despite battling injuries throughout his career, Nishikori showed supreme staying power. The Japanese shotmaker posted a 27-6 record in Grand Slam five-set matches, including a 6-0 mark vs. Top 10 opponents in Grand Slam five-setters.