By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Kei Nishikori has pulled the plug on his season after tearing a tendon in his right wrist.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Kei Nishikori's injury-marred season has come to a painful conclusion.
The 2014 US Open finalist has pulled the plug on his season due to a right wrist injury.
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The ninth-ranked Nishikori announced he has withdrawn from the Flushing Meadows major—and ended his season—after tearing a tendon in his right wrist while practicing his serve in Cincinnati.
Nishikori said he's visited five wrist specialists and is aiming to return to the pro circuit in 2018.
"Two days ago during practice in Cincinnati, Kei hit a serve and heard a 'pop' in his wrist," Nishikori's team said in a statement posted on the US Open website. "We went straight to the hospital to take an MRI. Yesterday, we went to see a very renowned wrist specialist who works with many of the MLB baseball pitchers. We saw another specialist today to get a second opinion. On top of that we have sent MRI results to three other wrist specialists to ensure we get several independent opinions from specialist.
"After consulting with all of them, it has become clear that Kei has a tear in one of the tendons in the right wrist. At this stage we have elected not to do surgery and Kei is in a cast. After the swelling comes down in the next weeks, we will evaluate next steps. Kei will withdraw from all the 2017 tournaments and work hard to be ready for next year."
Nishikori will miss the US Open, his most successful major, for the first time since 2009.
The 27-year-old Japanese has been battling the wrist issue for months. Nishikori withdrew from Barcelona and conceded walkover in the Madrid quarterfinals in May due to the injury.
During his run to the Washington, DC semifinals earlier this month, Nishikori struggled landing his backhand at times and sometimes shook his wrist after points.
Nishikori, who reached the US Open semifinals last year after falling to Benoit Paire in his 2015 Flushing Meadows opener, joins a growing casualty list of players.
Reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka and 2016 finalist Novak Djokovic both closed the curtain on their season. Wawrinka underwent a second knee surgery, while Djokovic has shut down his season due to a chronic right elbow injury.
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Andy Murray, who withdrew from both Montreal and Cincinnati with a hip issue, hopes to play the US Open but is uncertain.
World No. 10 Milos Raonic pulled out of Cincinnati yesterday due to a left wrist injury and is questionable for the US Open.
Raonic's coach, Tennis Channel analyst Mark Knowles, said the 2016 Wimbledon finalist is in New York City seeing wrist specialists today. Knowles said Raonic has been bothered by the wrist issue for the past six months.
"We’re in a really tough time," Knowles said on Tennis Channel. "The left wrist is not good. Milos is seeing doctors today as we speak in New York.
"Milos has been injured a lot but this is the first time he’s really had a wrist problem. (It has been) kind of off and on for six months."
Nishikori’s withdrawal gives Thiago Monteiro entry into the main draw.