Nishikori Rounds Out Tennis Career with Japan Open Defeat

Tokyo, Oct. 1 (Jiji Press)--Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori, who has announced his retirement from competition at the end of this season, was eliminated from his final tournament, the Japan Open, on Thursday.

In a first-round match at Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo, the former world No. 4 in the men's singles rankings lost 4-6, 4-6 to Frances Tiafoe, the current No. 8 player from the United States. Nishikori put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell short.

Nishikori, who returned to his courtside bench in tears, said, "I was overwhelmed by a sense of loss, as if everything I've built up so far suddenly disappeared."

"I wondered if this was really the end of me giving it everything I've got on the court," he said.

A full crowd and Tiafoe all celebrated Nishikori's illustrious 20-year career, which includes 12 tour titles and a bronze medal in the men's singles event at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, which was Japan's first Olympic medal in tennis in 96 years.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]