HONG KONG: Injury-ravaged Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori reached his first final in six years after China's Shang Juncheng fell ill at the Hong Kong Open on Saturday.
The 35-year-old Nishikori, who reached a career-high four in the world a decade ago and was a US Open finalist in 2014, was 1-3 up when Shang called it in their semifinal.
The 19-year-old has been suffering with a fever.
Nishikori, who was the first Asian man's singles finalist from Asia, faces France's Arthur Muller for the title on Sunday.
It is the Japanese player's 27th top-level final but first since winning in Brisbane in 2019.
Nishikori has emerged from a series of injuries, including hip surgery, to roll back the years in Hong Kong.
A wildcard at the tournament, he beat third-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov, Britain's Cameron Norrie and Denis Shapovalov on his way to the last four.
This story is from the January 05, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times Jaipur.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 05, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times Jaipur.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Film And TV's Golden Night
The 82nd Golden Globes was a mix of surprise wins but disappointments for India as stars showed up in full force
No matter what I do, my son will always be my priority: Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza has been jetsetting since her appointment as an ambassador for Dubai's Sports Council in December. But her busy year didn't keep her from ringing in 2025 with her \"forever date\", her six-year-old son Izhaan Mirza Malik.
The curious case of Vidya Balan's post for Rohit Sharma
Vidya Balan; (inset above) the actor posted a screenshot of a message she received containing identical text to her post before quickly deleting it
Love lockdown: OYO's new rule for unmarried couples sparks mixed reactions
On Sunday, the hotel booking platform OYO introduced a new policy that prohibits unmarried couples from checking into its partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Ankush Bahuguna put under 40-hour 'digital arrest' by scammers: I lost my money, mental health
YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna has revealed that he was recently put in a 'digital arrest' by online scammers.
Man United slow Liverpool's charge towards League title
Manchester United rallied to snap a four-game losing streak and slow Liverpool's romp towards the Premier League title in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
Focus on Satwik-Chirag at Malaysia Open
India's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will aim for a strong result, Lakshya Sen will look to build on his recent form and HS Prannoy will hope to shake off rust after a lengthy break at the season-opening Malaysia Super 1000 tournament starting here on Tuesday.
Tactics to break down Rohit successful: O'Keeffe
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma wilted under the traditional Australian tactic of mentally breaking down the opposition captains during the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, said former spinner Kerry O'Keeffe.
ICC, BCCI, CA, ECB Explore Chances of Two-Tier Tests
The ICC in collaboration with cricket boards of India, Australia and England is exploring the possibility of a two-tier Test system to facilitate more series between big three nations.
Why Q-comm's got brands to tap alternative financiers
As quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto revolutionize consumer shopping habits, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are increasingly turning to alternative financiers to secure larger working capital needed to stay competitive.
