Kei Nishikori Withdraws From 2023 Citi Open In Washington Last Minute

Kei Nishikori won't be competing at the ATP 500 tournament in Washington, the 2023 Citi Open , as he pulled out last minute.

The 33-year-old finally returned to competing on the ATP Tour last week, showing that he didn't forget how to win . However, Nishikori's comeback was really short-lived, as he quickly started to struggle with injuries again.

After winning his first two matches, the Japanese player seemed to struggle with his knee during the quarterfinal match in Atlanta against Taylor Fritz which he ultimately lost in two sets . Many hoped that it wouldn't be anything serious, but their wish may not come true.

After recording two wins in Atlanta, Nishikori was set to compete at the 2023 Citi Open in Washington thanks to a wild card , and in the first round, he should have faced a really playable opponent in Lloyd Harris, who is also making a comeback from an injury.

Yet, it turns out that Nishikori's health problems may be more serious than they initially appeared. The Japanese player withdrew from his first-round match only a couple of hours before it was supposed to start, worrying fans ahead of the North American hard-court swing.

Up next are the ATP 1000 tournament in Toronto and Cincinnati before the fourth Grand Slam of the season, the US Open. Thanks to wild cards, Nishikori may be able to compete in all, but it remains to be seen whether he does.

The 2014 US Open finalist will certainly want to prioritize the major at Flushing Meadows, and that may also likely be his goal for the 2023 season. While Nishikori saddened many with his withdrawal, he made at least one man happy.

And what better man to make happy than his fellow compatriot Sho Shimabukuro, who now received a lucky loser entry into the main draw of the 2023 Citi Open and will play the match against Harris in the first round.