The return of the Japanese hottie to the courts is imminent. Kei Nishikori is not giving up his battle with injuries

His name fell into oblivion for some time. He himself had to cope with depression because recurring health problems prevented him from playing. But now Nishikori has hope of a comeback.

He played his last competitive match last October in the second round of Indian Wells. Injuries reappeared and a long layoff followed. Already in 2020 he has played only 6 matches and various injuries have cut his season short every year.

Earlier this year, Nishikori underwent hip surgery and everything looked good, only for the Japanese fighter to unluckily sprain his ankle.

At 32, he was thinking hard about the end of his career. “I rehabbed at home. I didn’t get on the court at all for months. It was mentally tough,” Nishikori said.

Tennis legend Roger Federer was a big inspiration for his return to the court. He retired this year at the age of 40.

I’ve made a lot of effort to get this far in tennis. I feel I’m quite a talented player, I’ve got to a position that not many people can reach, so I feel it would be a shame to give up now,” he added.

The Shimane native is a former world number four in singles and is now preparing for a big comeback. As revealed by journalist Michal Samulski, Nishikori has entered the ATP 250 tournament in Delray Beach, which will take place from February 10 to 19, 2023.

And it will be a big return, because it was in Delray Beach that he won his first of twelve ATP tournaments in his career. His last appearance at the event was in 2014, but he crashed out in the eighth round.

The big, handsome Nishikori is thus nearing his return to the courts, hopefully this time he will stay clear of health problems.

Source: Twitter, TennisHead