The year 2014 was a special one for the Japanese tennis star, Kei Nishikori. The 32-year-old became the first man from Asia to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament. He did so at the US Open, finishing second-best to Marin Cilic.

En route to the final, he defeated some big names in the form of Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka, and Novak Djokovic. It was a historical moment for Nishikori, overcoming all odds to move forward in the tournament. Subsequently, he attained his career-best ranking of Number 4 in the World.

Although Nishikori has largely had a consistent run in big tournaments, he has failed to better his US Open 2014 performance. Injuries have had a role in this. Recently, he has suffered from a hip injury, which has forced him to miss the start of the 2022 season. Recently, he talked about his possible retirement from tennis due to his injury struggles.

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Kei Nishikori worried about the longevity of his career

The former World Number 4 explained his current injury status and his potential comeback to tennis while expressing regret about his years left for the sport. He said, “If all goes well, I might be able to play the USO this year. Trying to be ready in time for Rakuten Japan Open if it is held this year. I don’t think I have ten more years in my tennis career, so I want to live each day to the fullest.”

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The US Open has been his most successful major tournament, having reached a final and a couple of semifinals. Moreover, he enjoys playing in the United States, where he has a good record in other ATP Masters tournaments.

Nishikori was last seen in action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in October last year, where he had a second-round exit. Subsequently, he suffered a hip injury that has kept him out of action since.

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Further, he has dropped to Number 56 in the world due to his lengthy injury layoff. Can Nishikori make a strong return later this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.