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Billie Jean King sends message to Kei Nishikori as he confirms his retirement with Japan Open loss

Kei Nishikori has concluded his professional tennis career following a straight-sets defeat to Frances Tiafoe in the opening round of the tournament in his home country. The veteran competitor fought through a tight match that ended with a score of 6-4, 6-4, culminating in a memorable 23-shot exchange on match point.

Following his departure from the sport, numerous figures from across the tennis world shared tributes, including tennis pioneer Billie Jean King, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray, Naomi Osaka, and Rafael Nadal.

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