Rei Sakamoto faced a final step toward the US Open main draw that carried the weight of both a debut and a farewell. On Friday, 28 August, the 20-year-old Japanese player defeated Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6(3) on Court 17 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, advancing through the tournament qualifying draw for the first time.
The decisive round placed Sakamoto across the net from the player who helped shape his relationship with tennis. He was eight when Nishikori reached the 2014 US Open final, becoming the first Asian man to contest a Grand Slam singles final. After the match, Sakamoto described that bond plainly: “He was my idol for my whole life.”
On court, however, the tribute had to wait. Sakamoto built the victory around a dominant serve, striking 19 aces. The last came on match point after Nishikori had saved two earlier chances. The straight-sets score did not remove the tension from the second set, which reached a tie-break as the crowd tried to extend this final Flushing Meadows appearance.
Nishikori, 36, received a qualifying wild card and won two matches before facing his countryman. A finalist in New York in 2014, a semifinalist in 2016 and 2018, and the world No. 4 in 2015, he announced in April that he will retire at the end of the 2026 season. The defeat therefore closed his US Open career before the main draw begins on Sunday.
The farewell felt like a handover without forcing the symbolism. “Not happy to lose today, but I am happy for Rei,” Nishikori said, identifying Sakamoto as the next leading Japanese player. Tournament officials presented the former finalist with a framed portrait of his US Open story, and Sakamoto returned to help him hold it for a photograph.
Symbolism cannot replace the sporting challenge ahead. Sakamoto enters his first US Open main draw while still establishing himself on tour and carrying expectations that cannot be settled by one victory. Nishikori, meanwhile, leaves New York mindful of the gap his generation created and hopeful that he can eventually help Japanese and Asian tennis.
That is why the afternoon on Court 17 meant more than the allocation of one qualifying place. The US Open said goodbye to the most prominent Asian man to reach its final in the modern era and welcomed a debutant who had to defeat his own hero to enter. Between the final ace and the shared portrait, two Japanese careers met at the precise point where one door closed and another opened.
Sources consulted: ATP Tour, 28 August 2026, for the result, career context and statements; Associated Press, 28 August 2026, for match statistics, the ceremony and comments from Sakamoto and Nishikori. Reporting updated on 29 August 2026.