Kei Nishikori addressed swirling retirement speculation on X, calling reports of his exit after this week's Sarasota Challenger false. The 36-year-old former World No. 4 confirmed he will play the event at IMG Academy and plans to provide a personal update soon. Various outlets had claimed he would hang up his racket following the tournament.
Nishikori, currently ranked No. 417 on the ATP Tour, wrote on X on April 5: “Hi, everyone. Lots of false info out there. Yes, I am playing the Sarasota Challenger at the @IMGAcademy, and no, I am not retiring this week. I will make an update myself on this topic in the near future. Thank you.” The tournament runs from April 5 to 12, with Nishikori scheduled to face Nicolas Kicker in the opening round. He won the event in 2010, and organizers described his participation as “a big deal.”
