Once hailed a shooting star, Kei Nishikori’s comeback into the world of tennis could be pretty significant. Having picked up the tennis racket at a very tender age, he went on to become the only Japanese player to be ranked in the top 5 in the Open Era. During his rise, Nishikori won 12 ATP titles and has played winner shots that have left even the legendary Big Three bewildered. Unfortunately, things started to go south at one point.
Nishikori’s career nearly came to a standstill as he faced injury after injury and had to undergo several surgeries. Since the beginning of his career, he has struggled to reach and maintain his complete potential due to back-to-back injuries and after his 2022 season, there was a time Nishikori was contemplating retirement himself. However, relentless determination and fervent devotion seem to have brought the champ back on the court.
Kei Nishikori finds inspiration in Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
A 20 months break from tennis is long and recovering from back-to-back injuries and surgeries could not have been easy physically and mentally for the Japanese star. Although he had contemplated retirement, he said that watching tennis matches kept him going. Nishikori had not only been vicariously living on the court through these matches but also gauging the top players and preparing mentally to get back.
Now looking back at his recovery, he says, “That [several injuries] was also why it was tough to maintain the motivation, but I just wanted to play tennis again and compete again. And especially watching Djokovic, Rafa still playing, fighting. And I haven’t played against [Carlos] Alcaraz, [Holger] Rune. That’s something I also can’t wait to play against them.”
Inspired by the living legends, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, he has started touring again at 33 years old and doesn’t look ready to back down any time soon.
“I just need to play more matches,” Nishikori said. “I think I just need to play with those Top-50 players again. I just need to get used to playing with those guys and get confidence again. Overall I’m really happy with how I’m playing. I just need to focus and recover well.”
What injury did Nishikori have?
At the beginning of his career, Kei Nishikori had severe wrist and elbow injuries for which he had to undergo surgery in 2019. After that, he quickly made a comeback to display amazing tennis skills to move up to the top 50 in 2021 but was hindered again by a hip injury at Indian Wells in October 2021.
Kei "My bones have been deformed in hip and elbow, I needed surgery to trim the bones otherwise I feel pain, so (what happened) was inevitable, I never think about what I should have done (with these injuries), I know it's unanswered question." @nikkansports
— 井蛙堂 (@seiadoumogera) December 30, 2022
Continuing with the series of injuries, he was hit with another wrist injury in 2022 during the recovery period after his surgery.
He said, “After eight or nine months of rehab after the hip surgery I was almost ready to come back when I sprained my ankle… Once or twice I almost thought [about retiring]. It was mentally shocking to be so close and then to have a second injury. I wasn’t sure if I could come back from that. So that was the toughest time.”
Over the course of the next couple of months, the spark had been reignited and he found himself back on the courts!
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