By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Saturday, January 4, 2025
Photo Credit: Hong Kong Men’s Tennis Open Facebook
At 35 years old, Kei Nishikori is transforming the 2025 season into a dream come true.
As a wild card entry, Nishikori was leading 4-3 when his opponent, the 19-year-old sensation Shang Juncheng, had to retire, thus propelling Nishikori into the final of the Hong Kong Tennis Open.
The former US Open finalist has advanced to his 27th career final, marking his first appearance since his triumph at the 2019 Brisbane tournament.
This victory catapults Nishikori back into the Top 100 for the first time since October 2021. Following his left hip surgery in 2022, he ascends 32 positions to No. 74 in the ATP Live Rankings.
In the final, Nishikori will face French player Alexandre Muller for the very first time.
Muller overcame Jaume Munar with a score of 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, showcasing his resilience by leading 5-0 in the second-set tiebreaker before closing out the set on his third set point.
This marks the second final of Muller’s career, adding to his runner-up finish at the 2023 Marrakech event. He also achieves a new personal best ranking of No. 59 in the ATP Live Rankings.
