Former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori will sit out the upcoming ATP Challenger Tour event played on home soil, the Japan Tennis Association said Tuesday.
The withdrawal from the Yokkaichi Challenger starting Nov. 27 in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, ends his hopes of making a return from a left knee injury before the end of the season.
The 33-year-old will have missed all four Challenger Tour events scheduled for November and December in Japan. His scheduled Australian Open appearance in January now may also be in peril.
Nishikori underwent hip joint surgery in January 2022 before returning to the top-tier ATP Tour in July this year at the Atlanta Open.
Nishikori was soon back on the sidelines with knee pain, however, and the injury forced him to miss events such as the U.S. Open.