Nishikori to miss rest of season with wrist injury
Cincinnati — World number nine Kei Nishikori of Japan will miss the remainder of the 2017 ATP season after suffering a torn tendon in his right wrist, his management team announced on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old Asian number one will miss the upcoming US Open, on the New York hardcourts where he has produced his best Grand Slam results — a 2014 runner-up finish and a semi-final run last year.
Nishikori becomes the third top-10 player to conclude his season early, joining Novak Djokovic, out with an elbow injury, and 2016 US Open champion Stan Wawrinka with a knee injury.
A statement from Nishikori’s team said the injury took place during a practice session at Cincinnati ahead of this week’s ATP Masters hardcourt event, the last major US Open tuneup.
The decision to end Nishikori’s season came after advice was sought from five wrist specialists and with hope he can return in top form in 2018. “Two days ago during practice in Cincinnati, Kei hit a serve and heard a ‘pop’ in his wrist,” the statement read.
“We went straight to the hospital to take an MRI. Yesterday, we went to see a very renowned wrist specialist who works with many of the Major League Baseball pitchers. We saw another specialist today to get a second opinion. On top of that we have sent MRI results to three other wrist specialists to ensure we get several opinions.” —