Nishikori assesses his career before facing Jódar: "I am 50% satisfied"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 29 Jul 2026 | 09.39

Kei Nishikori speaks before facing Jódar in Washington. Photo: gettyimages

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Kei Nishikori faces his last months as a professional with mixed feelings and a final competitive motivation after starting with a victory in the ATP 500 Washington 2026. The Japanese admits to feeling proud of his career, although he regrets not having won a Grand Slam or Masters 1000 title, and now he is getting ready for an appealing generational duel against Rafael Jódar.

There is something especially symbolic about seeing Nishikori competing in Washington. Eleven years after becoming champion in the U.S. capital, the Japanese has returned to the tournament in the farewell season and did so by defeating Juncheng Shang. His first ATP victory in over a year holds a special meaning after an endless succession of physical problems that ultimately convinced him that it was time to end his career.

At 36 years old, Nishikori seems to have entered that retirement phase where each tournament invites reflection. In an interview with Ben Rothenberg, the former world number 4 was surprisingly demanding of himself. Being a US Open finalist, staying among the best for years, and becoming a historical figure in Asian tennis does not prevent him from also considering all that he missed along the way.

Nishikori admits to a certain sadness for not having won a Grand Slam or Masters 1000

"There are many things going through my mind. Of course, I am happy with my career, but at the same time, I do not have a major accomplishment like winning a Grand Slam. I also do not have any Masters 1000 titles, so it's something I feel is missing," admitted Nishikori, describing his satisfaction with his career as being "50 percent happy and 50 percent not happy."

His reflection says a lot about the mentality with which he faced his entire career. Nishikori reached world number 4 and played in the US Open 2014 final, after defeating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, but he never achieved that major title that would have further enhanced his legacy. He also fell short in four Masters 1000 finals.

The Japanese himself is aware, however, that his physical condition greatly influenced his chances and that it is important to put his achievements into perspective. "With my height, not having a particularly strong body, I suffered many injuries and went through very tough times. I missed, I don’t know, three or four years of the 20-year span of my career. So, I have to be happy with what I did, especially for winning many tournaments, making a Grand Slam final, achieving many goals, and being in the top 10. I have to be happy, although there were some goals I couldn’t reach," he explained.

Rothenberg then reminded him that he had reached world number 4, and Nishikori found another reason to downplay that sense of self-debt. "I have to remind myself that I was, I believe, the first Asian man to reach such a ranking position. Yes, I have to be happy," he said with a laugh.

A victory in Washington that means much more than just winning a first round

Nishikori had been waiting a long time to experience a sensation like the one he had against Shang. Not only did he win, but his body responded for two hours and 31 minutes and did not concede a single break point throughout the match. This is particularly noteworthy for a player who never based his success around serving.

"Winning a match always feels good, no matter the circumstances. Especially in important moments, in important matches and in big tournaments. It was not easy. I was able to play a good match, but I am still not at my best level. It will take me more time to recover my tennis. Regarding my body, it is still fine, and that is a good thing," he stated.

The Japanese even joked when asked if it had been one of his best serving matches. "Perhaps of my entire life. I have never served well," he responded with a laugh. "Even now, I don't think I have a great serve, so this never happens. But yesterday I served well." The victory holds even more value considering Nishikori's lack of competitive rhythm. "I am very happy to be back on tour. It has been a long time. I finally feel physically well and am able to play good tennis again. I am happy to be back," he affirmed.

This does not mean that doubts have disappeared. The real test for his body was not just enduring one match but checking how it responds when he has to string efforts together. "The body had no issues today and is fine now, but I don’t know if I can play three or four matches in a row. Checking if I can play multiple matches will be the next objective. The next match will be against a strong opponent, and I have to elevate my level," he warned.

Nishikori excited about facing Rafael Jódar

That opponent will be Rafael Jódar, a key figure in one of the most attractive generational matchups the Washington draw could offer. Nishikori sees in the Spaniard a potent, quick player on the rise and someone he is eager to compete against. He is young and I have never faced him, so it presents a good opportunity for me," he stated.

The difference in experience will be significant, but Nishikori knows he needs to improve from his debut. Jódar arrives with the ambition to continue establishing himself in the elite and with conditions that could demand a lot physically from the Japanese. This will be one of the major uncertainties of the match: seeing how Kei's body responds after the effort expended in his opening round.

"To be honest, in the third set, towards the end, I was quite tired. But I managed to stay calm and focused. Also, I didn't get broken. I think I was quite focused," explained Nishikori, who also didn't want to inflate his victory over Shang. "Of course, he was not in top form either. Today, he gave me some opportunities, so there was also some luck in being able to win."

Sinner and Alcaraz, the two rivals Nishikori wants to face before retiring

The curiosity to face a new generation does not end with Jódar. Nishikori has a shortlist of players he would be especially excited to compete against before retiring for good.

"I would also like to play against Fritz or Rune before retiring. That's why I'm excited to see how far I can go and who I will encounter. I will give it my all," he affirmed.

But there are two names that stand out above the rest. "Of course, Sinner and Alcaraz. I have already played quite a bit against Sascha and Novak," he joked. "I have also played against Tiafoe and Fonseca. So, if I have to choose someone, it's those two."

There is an almost poetic component in that desire. Nishikori spent his best years trying to make his way in a time marked by the dominance of several legends and now wants to experience on the court how it feels to face the two players leading the new era. Jódar will be his first test against that new wave in Washington.

Where will Nishikori play his final match of his career?

Even the protagonist himself still does not know where he will bid his final farewell. The plan is to compete over the next few months, but after so many years conditioned by injuries, Nishikori has learned that setting overly rigid schedules can be futile.

"I still don't know. It depends on my body. If it holds up, I would like to play in more tournaments, but it will depend on how I can maintain myself," he explained when asked about the possibility of his farewell occurring in Tokyo.

He is clear that his immediate future after hanging up his racket does not involve replicating, as a coach, the itinerant life he led as a player. "I enjoy coaching, but I don't think I want to continue traveling. Being off the road is good for me. I love coaching, especially with juniors, because they have many aspects to work on and great hunger to improve. Sometimes I enjoy working with them a lot," he pointed out.

Before thinking about all that, there is still tennis. Washington has given him back a feeling he had been chasing for too long, and now Rafael Jódar stands in his way. For a player who admits to a certain sadness for what he could never conquer, these last months offer a different opportunity: to enjoy competing without thinking about building a trophy cabinet anymore, to face the new generations, and to bid farewell to the circuit while seeing how far his body, which so often hindered his extraordinary talent, can take him.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nishikori valora su carrera antes de medirse a Jódar: "Estoy satisfecho al 50%"

Kei Nishikori