A back injury stops Kei Nishikor for a season

Japan’s best men’s tennis player Kei Nishikori said Monday that a back injury will keep him on the sidelines for the rest of 2021, but he promised to return to the court next year.

The 31-year-old former World List 4 revealed on Twitter that he will retire on Nov. 7-13. From the Stockholm Open, the last event of the ATP season before the final of the tour, due to an injury he received during the weeks. which will lead to the San Diego Open in late September.

Kei Nishikori (Getty / Kyodo)

Just 90 minutes before he had to play his San Diego opening game against British Andy Murray, Nishikori withdrew due to a back injury.

“It’s been a long year, I’ll be back from injury and I’m looking forward to () the off-season,” he wrote. “I (too) look forward to a strong pre-season training to make 2022 a great year.”

Nishikori, whose right elbow surgery was done in 2019, has not won an ATP championship since January 2019. He is currently on the world list 49.

Japan’s runner-up Yoshihito Nishioka also tweeted on Monday that he will also withdraw from the same ATP 25-level tournament in the Swedish capital, citing the problem of the right wrist.

– I originally planned to compete in Stockholm, but I’m going to call it a year because I’m worried about my right wrist, 80th place Nishioka tweeted.

“I happened to have my wrist before (August 30-September 12) at the US Open, and it has improved a lot, but the fear has prevented me from hitting my mark well in the hand. I will improve it and look to the coming year.”

The men’s professional tennis season ends with the Nitto ATP final in mid-November, which features only the world’s eight best singles and doubles teams.

Related coverage:

Tennis: Kei Nishikori lost to British Evans at the BNP Paribas Open

Tennis: Kei Nishikori withdraws from the San Diego Open due to a back injury

Tennis: Djokovic won the Nishikor US Open in the 3rd round