Injury-ravaged Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori reached his first final in six years when China's Shang Juncheng retired ill at the Hong Kong Open on Saturday.
The 35-year-old Nishikori, who reached a career-high four in the world a decade ago and was a US Open finalist in 2014, was 4-3 up when Shang called it quits in their semifinal.
Tough scenes in Hong Kong 😓
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 4, 2025
Unwell, Jerry Shang retires from his semi-final against Kei Nishikori#BOCHKTO pic.twitter.com/20mMNdJzUZ
The 19-year-old has been suffering with a fever.
Nishikori, who was the first Grand Slam men's singles finalist from Asia, faces France's Alexandre Muller for the title on Sunday.
It is the Japanese player's 27th tour-level final but first since winning in Brisbane in 2019.
Back in an ATP final 💫
— Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (@Hkto_mens) January 4, 2025
Wildcard @keinishikori is in the Hong Kong final!!#BOCHKTO #ATP #HKCTA #HKTS #ConnectEveryExcitement #BOCHK #CSTB #MMarkEvents #MajorSportsEventsCommittee #MSEC pic.twitter.com/o3FWjbcLP6
Nishikori has emerged from years of injuries, including major hip surgery, to roll back the years in Hong Kong.
A wildcard at the tournament, he beat third-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov, Britain's Cam Norrie and Denis Shapovalov on the way to the last four.
The Japanese player will return to the top 100 for the first time since June 2022 on Monday.
Nishikori is a 12-time ATP winner and a 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medallist.