Japan's Nishikori ends professional tennis career

Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori has brought his professional career to a close. The decision became final on Thursday, when he suffered a defeat at his home tournament — the ATP 500 event held in Tokyo.

Nishikori has long been one of the most recognizable Asian tennis players, and his retirement marks a significant moment in the history of Japanese tennis. Fittingly, his final official match took place in his home country, lending special weight to the occasion for tournament organizers and local fans alike.

The tournament organizers and the tennis community in Tokyo gathered to watch the historic match, aware it would be Nishikori's last regardless of the outcome. He lost the match, but that does not diminish the significance of his long career in the sport.

Ending his career at the Tokyo tournament brings things full circle, closing out his journey in Japan, the country where Nishikori enjoyed widespread support and recognition as the nation's leading tennis player.