Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has made it to the finals of the Hong Kong Open! 🎾 But it was under unexpected circumstances.
In the semifinal match (that’s the round before the final), Kei was playing against China’s Shang Juncheng. Both players were giving their best, and the score was close at 4-3 in favor of Kei. Then, something unexpected happened.
Shang, who had been feeling unwell with a fever for several days, decided he couldn’t continue playing. In tennis, when a player stops playing due to injury or illness, it’s called “retiring” from the match. He told reporters, “When I woke up this morning, I felt terrible all over my body. I felt the same yesterday, and I didn’t know how I won that match. Today, I thought I reached my limit.”
He and his team agreed that it was best for him to stop playing to protect his health and future matches. We all hope Shang gets better soon! 🤗
Kei Nishikori felt sorry for Shang. He said, “I feel bad that my opponent retired because of discomfort. He performed well even in such poor condition. I wish him a quick recovery so he can appear in the Australian Open.”
Now, Kei will face Alexandre Muller from France in the final match. Alexandre had an exciting game, coming from behind to beat Spain’s Jaume Munar with scores of 4-6, 7-6(5), and 6-4.
Good luck to both players in the final! Who do you think will win? 🏆
Reference(s):
Kei Nishikori makes Hong Kong Open final after Shang Juncheng retires
cgtn.com
