"Too good to give up" - Nishikori not ready to call it quits
ATP
Kei Nishikori believes that he's just too talented to give up on his career easily, which is why he wants to continue trying to come back.
Nishikori didn't appear on the tennis courts this year. Because of continuous injury struggles, the Japanese player spent the whole season trying to return to the tennis courts.
He last played in 2021, when he won 26 matches and lost 17. He reached the semi-finals in Washington that year. However, in the year before, the Japanese player also played only six matches.
It's clear that in recent years, Nishikori has struggled with injuries more than he has played, and in a recent interview with Asahi Sports, he admitted that he even considered retirement.
"I casually mentioned that I thought about retirement, but afterwards I realized it would go into headlines, I was like, oops, I blew it. It was an honest feeling, so I might not be able to hide it, or I might express it to wash away my gloomy feeling, I don’t know."
However, he then realized that during his career, he's been just too good and successful to give up on his career just like that. That's why he has decided to continue trying.
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"I’ve made much effort, and it’s a shame to bring it to naught due to injury. I’m not sure if this is the right way to say it, but I feel like I’m kinda talented, and I have reached the position that not so many people can reach, that makes me feel like it’s too good to give up."
The former ATP World No. 4 player also admitted that he was inspired by Roger Federer, who competed until his 40s. Nishikori believes he can also do that after seeing the Swiss Maestro play for so long.
"Federer played tennis until 40, so I think I can keep playing five more years at the least and seven more years at the most."
