Kei Nishikori, once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season.

The 36-year-old Japanese trailblazer made the announcement Thursday via social media.

“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,” he posted to X. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.”

Nishikori was the first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world.

He has won 12 titles, 451 tour matches and just over $26 million on the ATP Tour.

It was March 2, 2015, when Nishikori was ranked No. 4 amid tennis’ brightest stars. That week, Novak Djokovic was No. 1, followed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After Nishikori, at No. 5, was Andy Murray.

Those four opponents combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles. Nishikori never won one, with his best result coming in 2014 when he defeated Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open final, which he lost to Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Nishikori has competed this season in ATP Challenger events. His most recent ATP Tour event came in 2025 at Cincinnati.

“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,” Nishikori wrote. “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.”

–Field Level Media