Kei Nishikori said he wants to step away and take stock of what comes next, speaking alongside Roger Federer and two wheelchair tennis greats at a joint press conference in Tokyo on October 11, 2026, where he described Federer as both his first idol and the biggest wall he ever had to climb.
The news conference followed "Uniqlo LifeWear Day Tokyo 2026 with Kei Nishikori" at Ariake Coliseum, a farewell event for the 36-year-old, who played the last match of his career at the Japan Open earlier this month. Federer, Japanese wheelchair tennis great Shingo Kunieda, and British wheelchair player Gordon Reid joined him on stage, fielding pooled questions followed by one question from each outlet.
Nishikori Wants Time Away To Reflect
Asked how he felt with the event behind him, Nishikori said he had not quite reached a sense of closure.
"I haven't fully gotten to the point where I feel I've completely given it everything," he said. "But with my body and my feelings both struggling to keep up, I wanted to finish in a way I could accept. I want to step off the stage for a while, sort out my feelings, and take my time to look for what I want to do and what I can do next, while facing myself."
Kunieda Places Nishikori Alongside Federer
Kunieda, who retired in 2023 as one of the most decorated players in wheelchair tennis history, put Nishikori in the same bracket as the Swiss great seated beside them.
"For me, Kei is the same kind of figure as Roger," Kunieda said. "Because these two were there, I came to love tennis even more."
Federer Was Both Idol And Obstacle For Nishikori
Nishikori thanked Kunieda for his unbreakable mentality and work ethic, and Reid for traveling a long way to be there. He saved his most personal words for Federer.
"Roger was the first idol I looked up to, and at the same time he was the biggest wall I had to get over," he said with a smile. "My friends have given me such warm words that I feel happy enough to sleep soundly tonight."
The two met 11 times on the ATP Tour. Three of those matches came at the season-ending ATP Finals, where Federer won twice and Nishikori took their 2018 meeting in London in straight sets.
Nishikori leaves the professional game with 12 ATP singles titles, a career-high ranking of No. 4, and a runner-up finish at the 2014 US Open, where he became the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
