By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Saturday, January 4, 2025
Photo credit: Hong Kong Men’s Tennis Open Facebook
At the age of 35, Kei Nishikori is turning the 2025 season into his glory days.
Wild card Nishikori held a 4-3 lead over 19-year-old Shang Juncheng when the Chinese teenager retired sending Nishikori into the Hong Kong Tennis Open final.
Former US Open finalist Nishikori advanced to his 27th career final and first since he captured the 2019 Brisbane championship.
The victory vaults Nishikori back into the Top 100 for the first time since October of 2021. Nishikori, who underwent left hip surgery in 2022, rises 32 spots to No. 74 in the ATP Live Rankings.
The final pits Nishikori against Frenchman Alexandre Muller for the first time.
Muller out-dueled Jaume Munar 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. Muller raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second-set tiebreaker then sealed the set on his third set point.
It is the second career final for Muller, the 2023 Marrakech runner-up. Muller rises to a new career-high ranking of No. 59 in the ATP Live Rankings.
