Nishikori Has 'Not Lost Passion At All' As He Targets 2024 Australian Open Comeback

Kei Nishikori hasn't lost motivation to play tennis despite suffering a big setback during his return to the sport he loves.

Nishikori missed well over a year of action before making a comeback earlier this year. He played some solid matches, even winning his first ATP match in a very long time , but the comeback was cut short by yet another setback that didn't see him play much since then.

He missed the Japan Open , a home tournament that he loves very much, and it was a painful thing for him because it seemed like he'd be able to play back home after returning during the summer. Nishikori shared some of his thoughts in a conversation with the Daily Online.

Unfortunately, I miss the Tokyo tournament this year. It is very painful not to be able to play in front of the Japanese fans, but I am still not 100% and I am still training to return to the circuit.

Nishikori on sitting out the 2023 Japan Open in Tokyo

Nishikori will not give up on his comeback, as he targets 2024 as the year when he'll finally play some regular tennis. He plans to play until he can't anymore because he's tired of sitting out.

It's an admirable plan, but we'll see if his body cooperates. It hasn't been very cooperative recently, which is unfortunate.

I feel like I will continue playing until my body is completely exhausted. I have not lost my passion at all. If I stop playing, it will be due to physical limitation. Now I'm just waiting for the day to come when I can play again. If I can play several tournaments between now and the end of the year, I will start next season at the Australian Open.

Nishikori on his future plans