Kei Nishikori prepares for the final tournament appearance of his career at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, headlining the ATP Tour’s premier domestic event alongside top international competitors such as Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz. The tournament runs from September 30 through October 6 at the Ariake Coliseum, marking Nishikori’s emotional farewell to the courts at Japan’s historic tennis sanctuary.
Broadcast Schedule and Free Opening Coverage
Domestic broadcaster WOWOW has scheduled extensive live coverage of the tournament, featuring free broadcasts and streaming for singles main draw action on Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1. Viewers can access the live feeds and on-demand archives through the WOWOW platform, which also provides extended match highlights throughout the week. The coverage encompasses all tournament rounds leading up to the singles and doubles finals on October 6.
Three-Month Special Programming Event
Following the Japan Open, WOWOW is rolling out a three-month special feature dedicated to Nishikori’s career milestones, running through December. The tribute series begins with a live broadcast of the LifeWear Day Tokyo 2026 event on Sunday, October 11, starting at 12:45 PM local time.
Documentary Series Traces Final Professional Chapter
The tribute programming continues into November and December with two dedicated documentary specials charting the Japanese star’s final competitive months. “Kei Nishikori: The Last Road — From the Final Grand Slam to the Japan Open” premieres on Saturday, November 14, at 6:00 PM. This is followed on Sunday, December 27, at 5:30 PM by “Kei Nishikori: The Miracle That Charmed the World,” a retrospective examining his rise to global prominence and his impact on international tennis.
