Kei Nishikori has officially announced his split from coach Maxime Johansson, marking the end of a chapter that saw the Japanese tennis star return to the ATP Tour after a long battle with injury.
A challenging road back to competition
Nishikori’s recent years have been defined by resilience. After undergoing hip surgery in 2022, he was sidelined for nearly two years, missing 21 months of competition between 2021 and 2023. His determination to return to the court was rewarded when he rejoined the tour under Johansson’s guidance and earned a nomination for the ATP Comeback Player of the Year.
Johansson reflects on their time together
In a heartfelt message shared on Instagram, Johansson confirmed the decision to part ways. “Just wanted to let you know that Kei and I have decided to go separate ways,” he wrote. “It’s been a pleasure to work with such a professional team and with such a nice and talented player like Kei. I want to wish Kei and his team best of luck for the future.”
Looking ahead to the next chapter
As Nishikori prepares for the next phase of his career, fans will be watching closely to see who joins his team and how he continues to build momentum on the tour. Despite the coaching change, his return remains one of the most inspiring stories in recent tennis history.
Kei Nishikori in 2025
Ranked no.88, Nishikori played his last match on the 8th of August when he lost to world no.43 Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-5 6-3 in the 1st round in Cincinnati (draw).
During this season Kei has a 13-11 record. Kei Nishikori’s most significant result of this season was getting to the final in Hong Kong.