Kei Nishikori to miss rest of tennis season with wrist injury

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 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 Serbian 12-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, out with an elbow injury, and Swiss 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 independent opinions from specialist.

"After consulting with all of them, it has become clear that Kei has a tear in one of the tendons in the right wrist. At this stage, we have elected not to do surgery and Kei is in a cast.

"After the swelling comes down in the next weeks, we will evaluate next steps. Kei will withdraw from all the 2017 tournaments and work hard to be ready for next year."

Brazilian Thiago Monteiro will replace Nishikori in the US Open main draw when the year's last Grand Slam tournament begins August 28, organizers said.

Nishikori concludes the 2017 season with a 30-13 match record. His best finishes were runner-up showings at Brisbane in January and the Argentina Open in February.

In the Grand Slams, Nishikori reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, losing in five sets to eventual champion Roger Federer, falling in the French Open quarter-finals to Britain's top-ranked Andy Murray and ousted in the third round at Wimbledon by Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Nishikori's last match of the campaign was a three-set loss to Frenchman Gael Monfils in his opener last week at Montreal.

Source: AFP