Kei Nishikori's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Kei Nishikori. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Kei Nishikori is a highly accomplished Japanese professional tennis player. He holds the distinction of being the only Japanese man in the Open Era to achieve a top-five singles ranking, reaching world No. 4 in 2015. Nishikori has secured twelve ATP Tour titles and was a runner-up at the 2014 US Open, making him the sole male player representing an Asian nation to reach a major singles final. He also made history as the first Asian man to qualify for the ATP Finals, reaching the semifinals twice. He is presently the top-ranked Japanese player.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1933: First Japanese Man in Major Semifinals Since Jiro Sato

In 2014, Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese man in 81 years to reach the semifinals at a Major since Jiro Sato in the 1933 French Championships.

July 1992: Breaking Japanese Ranking Record

At the Shanghai Masters in 2011, Kei Nishikori reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal, after which he reached a career-high of world No. 30, breaking the previous Japanese mark of No. 46, set by Shuzo Matsuoka in July 1992.

2001: All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids Win

In 2001, Kei Nishikori won the All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids.

2004: Riad 21 Tournament Title

In 2004, Kei Nishikori won the title at the Riad 21 Tournament in Rabat, Morocco.

2006: French Open Win

In 2006, Kei Nishikori won the French Open.

2007: Luxilon Cup Win

In 2007, Kei Nishikori won the Luxilon Cup held at the Sony Ericsson Open, defeating Michael McClune.

August 2008: US Open Round of 16

On August 30, 2008, Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese player in 71 years to reach the round of 16 at the US Open, after beating David Ferrer. He was later defeated by Juan Martín del Potro.

2008: First Meeting and US Open Win

In 2008, Kei Nishikori first played David Ferrer at the US Open, where Nishikori won in five sets.

2008: ATP Newcomer of the Year

In 2008, Kei Nishikori was named ATP Newcomer of the Year, becoming the first Asian player to win the award. He also suffered an elbow injury that caused him to withdraw from the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

May 2010: Sarasota Open Victory

On May 15, 2010, Kei Nishikori won the Sarasota Open by defeating Brian Dabul in three sets.

2010: US Open Victory

In 2010, Kei Nishikori avenged his loss to Marin Čilić at the US Open in a five-set match.

2011: Chennai Open Win

In 2011, Kei Nishikori beat Marin Čilić at the Chennai Open in three sets.

2012: Olympics Win

In 2012, Kei Nishikori beat David Ferrer in three sets at the Olympics.

2012: Australian Open Quarterfinals

In 2012, Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, becoming the first Japanese male player to do so in 80 years. He was later defeated by Andy Murray.

2012: First Meeting and Rakuten Japan Open Win

In 2012, Kei Nishikori won his first meeting against Milos Raonic in the Rakuten Japan Open final.

2013: Memphis Open Win

In 2013, Kei Nishikori beat Marin Čilić at the Memphis Open in straight sets, eventually winning the title.

2014: First Victory Over Federer Since 2014

At the ATP Finals, Nishikori defeated Roger Federer in straight sets, marking his first victory over Federer since 2014 and ending a six-match losing streak against him.

2014: Multiple Meetings and US Open Victory

In 2014, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic met four times, including Nishikori's win at the Madrid Masters and a five-set victory at the US Open. Raonic won at Wimbledon. Nishikori won also the Rakuten Japan Open final.

2014: Davis Cup World Group Success

In 2014, Kei Nishikori contributed to three victories in Japan's 4-1 Davis Cup win against Canada, helping Japan advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. He later missed the quarterfinal due to injury.

2014: US Open Final

In 2014, Kei Nishikori reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open, defeating several top players along the way, but ultimately losing to Marin Čilić. This run improved his singles ranking to world No. 8.

2014: First Win Against Wawrinka at US Open

In 2014, Kei Nishikori recorded his first win against Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals of the US Open, later becoming the finalist of the tournament.

2014: Nishikori's Reversal of Dominance

In 2014, Kei Nishikori won all four of his encounters with David Ferrer, including wins at the Miami Masters, Madrid Open, BNP Paribas Masters and ATP World Tour Finals.

March 2015: Career-High Ranking

In March 2015, Kei Nishikori achieved his career-high singles ranking of world No. 4, making him the first Japanese man in the Open Era to reach the top five.

2015: Brisbane International and Davis Cup Clash

In 2015, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic first met at the Brisbane International, with Raonic winning. Nishikori later won an epic five-setter in the Davis Cup.

2015: Victories and Defeats Against Ferrer

In 2015, Kei Nishikori beat David Ferrer at the Australian Open and Madrid Open, but lost to him at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.

2015: Citi Open and Japan Open

In 2015, Kei Nishikori defeated Marin Cilic at the Citi Open and later at the Japan Open.

2015: Abierto Mexicano Telcel Final

In 2015, Kei Nishikori reached the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, earning enough ATP ranking points to move into a new career-high world ranking of No. 4. He also reached the fourth round of the 2015 BNP Paribas Open and the quarterfinals of the 2015 Miami Open.

2015: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Title Defense

In 2015, Kei Nishikori reached the final of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell after defeating Teymuraz Gabashvili, Santiago Giraldo, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Martin Kližan. He successfully defended his title by beating Pablo Andújar in the final in two sets, marking his ninth career title on the tour.

2015: Memphis Open Title

In 2015, Kei Nishikori won his eighth singles title and became the first player to win the Memphis Open three times in a row.

2015: 2015 Citi Open, Rogers Cup and US Open

In 2015, Nishikori won the Citi Open, defeating John Isner in the final. At the Rogers Cup, he defeated Rafael Nadal for the first time but lost to Andy Murray in the semifinals. He withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters due to fatigue and hip injury and lost in the first round of the US Open to Benoît Paire.

2015: Meetings during the 2015 season

This entry refers to meetings between Nishikori and Raonic that occurred in the 2015 season.

February 2016: Tournament Victory Since February 2016

In 2019, Nishikori's victory at the Brisbane International was his first tournament victory since February 2016, breaking a streak of nine consecutive final losses.

2016: Multiple Meetings and ATP World Tour Finals Win

In 2016, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka met three times, with Nishikori winning two of those meetings, including their round-robin match at the ATP World Tour Finals.

2016: Bronze Medal at Summer Olympics

In 2016, Kei Nishikori defeated Rafael Nadal to win the bronze medal in singles at the Summer Olympics, securing Japan's first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years.

2016: ATP Finals Semifinals

In 2016, Kei Nishikori reached the semifinals of the ATP Finals for the second time.

2016: Rio Olympics Bronze Medal

In 2016, Kei Nishikori won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, marking the first Olympic tennis medal for Japan in 96 years.

2016: 2016 Rogers Cup Masters and Summer Olympics

In 2016, Nishikori lost to Djokovic in the finals of the Rogers Cup Masters in Toronto. He then participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he reached the semis before being defeated by Andy Murray. He won the bronze medal against Rafael Nadal, becoming the first Japanese man to win an Olympic tennis medal since 1920.

2017: Davis Cup Play-Off Victory

In 2017, Nishikori represented Japan in the Davis Cup Play-Off against Ukraine and won the doubles rubber alongside Yūichi Sugita, securing Japan's promotion back into the 2017 Davis Cup World Group.

2018: US Open Semifinal Berth

At the 2018 US Open, Kei Nishikori defeated Marin Čilić in the quarterfinals, securing a spot in the US Open semifinal for the third time.

2018: ATP Challenger Title in Dallas

In 2018, after a 5-month injury layoff, Kei Nishikori won his sixth ATP Challenger career title in Dallas, defeating Mackenzie McDonald in the final.

2019: Brisbane International Victory

In 2019, Kei Nishikori started his season at the Brisbane International, where he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to win the title, marking his first tournament victory since February 2016.

2021: First Major Win Since US Open

In 2021, Kei Nishikori achieved his first Major win since the US Open, also marking his first win at Roland Garros the same year.

August 2024: National Bank Open Success and Ranking Improvement

In August 2024, Kei Nishikori reached the round of 16 and then the quarterfinal at the National Bank Open, resulting in a significant rise to world No. 222.

October 2024: Japan Open Quarterfinal and Top 150 Return

In October 2024, Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinal at the Japan Open Tennis Championships and subsequently returned to the top 150, ranked No. 143.

November 2024: HPP Open Victory

In November 2024, Kei Nishikori won his eighth ATP Challenger title at the HPP Open in Helsinki, Finland, which led to him moving up to world No. 107 in the singles rankings.

January 2025: Hong Kong Open Final and Top 100 Return

In January 2025, Kei Nishikori reached his first ATP Tour final in six years at the Hong Kong Open and returned to the top 100 in the rankings. He also won his first match at the Australian Open since 2019.

February 2025: 300th Hardcourt Career Win

In February 2025, Kei Nishikori achieved his 300th hardcourt career win, clinching the Davis Cup Qualifiers first-round tie for Japan. He is only the 26th man in the Open Era to achieve this feat.