Japanese tennis trailblazer Nishikori to retire at end of season

Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori, 36, announced on Friday via social media that he will retire at the end of the 2026 season due to persistent injuries. Nishikori made history as the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam final at the 2014 US Open, where he lost to Marin Cilic, and reached a career-high ATP ranking of world number four. Over his professional career, which began in 2007, he won 12 ATP titles and claimed a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.