Kei Nishikori withdrew from the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Tuesday attributable to a left knee damage. The Japanese star was changed within the draw by Sho Shimabukuro, who will face South African Lloyd Harris.
The 33-year-old returned from a 20-month absence in June, when he received an ATP Challenger Tour title in Puerto Rico. He received eight of his 10 Challenger-level matches earlier than returning to ATP Tour motion final week in Atlanta.
”I used to be having knee ache left from final week and it acquired slightly bit worse after [my] first match final week,” Nishikori stated. “I used to be making an attempt to play a pair extra matches. It was okay, however hurting extra, increasingly. So I attempted to play at present, however I used to be not ok to play. So sadly, I’ve to withdraw.”
The previous World No. 4 confirmed his good kind on the Atlanta Open, an ATP 250 occasion, the place he made the quarter-finals with straight-sets victories over Jordan Thompson and Shang Juncheng.
Nishikori owns an 18-7 file in Washington, the place he received the title in 2015 and has reached two extra semi-finals. His most up-to-date look in Washington got here in 2021.
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”I’m very disenchanted as a result of I all the time play good right here. Good reminiscences and good crowd. I all the time get pleasure from taking part in this week,” Nishikori stated. “However that is what it’s, and I’ve acquired to maintain climbing as a result of I simply began taking part in once more and I do know my physique will not be 100 per cent sturdy sufficient to play many matches. I believe this stuff occur [the] first couple months [back], however large tournaments are arising. So I [will try to] to be prepared for that.”
