Kei Nishikori bows out in Tokyo after 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Frances Tiafoe

Kei Nishikori’s final match before retirement ended in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to American Frances Tiafoe in the Japan Open first round on Thursday, as an adoring crowd in Tokyo rose to salute the former world number four and Japanese trailblazer.

The 36-year-old, who announced in May that he planned to retire at the end of the year and was granted a wildcard entry to the tournament he won in 2012 and 2014, soaked up applause from fans at the Ariake Coliseum as organisers honoured his two-decade career with a video tribute featuring messages from top players including Novak Djokovic (Reuters, AP via Japan Today).

“We had some great battles at the Grand Slams and other tournaments all over the world,” Djokovic said in his message. “I’m really glad you’re ending your career in your town, in your country, in front of your people.”

Nishikori was the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final, at the 2014 US Open, reached a career-high ranking of four in 2015 and claimed 12 titles on the ATP Tour, though injuries have hampered him in recent years and he has slipped to 436 in the world.

Carlos Alcaraz said he considered himself a fan, while Grigor Dimitrov, Alex de Minaur and Andy Murray heaped praise on his two-handed backhand. Stefanos Tsitsipas led the tributes on social media, writing in Japanese that Nishikori had “brought immense pride and emotion to people across Japan”.