Former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori has once again pushed back his comback date as he has withdrawn from the Winston-Salem Open. Two weeks ago, the Winston-Salem Open organizers announced Nishikori as a main draw wildcard recipient.
This week, the Winston-Salem Open organizers revealed that Nishikori has decided to return the wildcard. “Kei Nishikori has returned his wild card to the Winston-Salem Open as he works to return to match action from injury.
Get well soon, Kei,” the Winston-Salem Open announced.
🚨BREAKING NEWS: Kei Nishikori has returned his wild card to the Winston-Salem Open as he works to return to match action from injury.
Get well soon, Kei!
The tournament will reissue the wild card in the coming days.#wsopen | #dtws | #atptour pic.twitter.com/amqvhkFGtX — Winston-Salem Open (@WSOpen) August 1, 2022
Nishikori, who underwent a hip surgery in January, was initially targeting to return to action at the start of the American hard court swing.
Now, it looks like he could sit out the entire summer on hard courts.
Will Nishikori play at the US Open?
In June, Nishikori admitted he would like to be ready for the US Open. The Winston-Salem Open starts the week before the US Open and Nishikori withdrawing from Winston-Salem is not a good indication that he will be ready for the US Open.
“If all goes well, I might be able to play the US Open this year. I’m trying to be ready in time for the Rakuten Japan Open in October if it is held this year. I don’t think I have ten more years in my tennis career, so I want to live each day to the fullest,” Nishikori said in June.
Nishikori, who hasn’t played since October 2021, is now the 160th-ranked player in the world. When he returns, his short-term goal will be quickly improve his ranking. “As I said earlier, first of all, I want to return to the ranking so far.
First, I still have some goals so that I can return to the top 10, but eventually I will return to that position,” Nishikori said. It remains to be seen if Nishikori will be ready for the US Open.