Kei Nishikori’s final appearance at Flushing Meadows ended this week, as the Japanese star fell 6-4, 7-6(3) to countryman Rei Sakamoto, ranked 157th, in the third round of US Open qualifying.
“I couldn’t play my best today,” Nishikori said after the match.
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It’s a familiar refrain for the 36-year-old, who has struggled for several years to find consistent form while battling injuries. Still, he remained gracious in defeat.
“I’m sure he had more than me. I had zero pressure coming into today’s match,” Nishikori said, as reported by Tennis Panorama. “I was really excited to play Rei. I know him for a long time, and we practiced together a lot in IMG.”
Nishikori credited Sakamoto’s speed and hard serve for disrupting his rhythm throughout the match. While it wasn’t the ending he envisioned, the loss doubled as a passing-of-the-torch moment, with Nishikori falling to the current third ranked Japanese player.
Once ranked #4 in the world, Nishikori will forever hold a place in tennis history. Twelve years ago, he became the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final, doing so at the US Open. His run that year included a four-set win over then-world #1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals before he fell to Marin Cilic in the championship match.
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That final remains the only Grand Slam title match between the 2005 Australian Open and the 2020 US Open that did not feature a member of the Big Three.
Looking ahead, Nishikori expressed both hope and concern for the future of Asian tennis.
“I hope I can help, especially Japanese or Asian tennis,” he said. “It’s kind of sad that there are no Top-20 or Top-30 Asian players after me. That a little bit worries me. But you see Jason, Yibing, and Jerry — there are many Chinese players who can be Top-20, Top-10, I hope — and also Rei can be a great player.”
Nishikori announced in April that he will retire at the end of the season. He leaves as the most accomplished Japanese men’s player in tennis history, with 12 career singles titles and 452 career match wins. Playing in an era with the big 3 of Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic, Nishikori carved a path of historic achievements, only to see the tail end of his career hampered by injuries.
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Though his run in New York ended earlier than he would have liked, fans can expect to see the 5-foot-10 righty make wild-card appearances when the Asian swing begins next month, including a special send off at ATP Tokyo, Japan’s only ATP Tour event. The curtain is closing on Nishikori’s storied career, while Sakamoto will look to carry on his legacy. Sakamoto faces Aleksandar Vukic in the first round of the 2026 US Open.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
