"Only after I became a parent I realize how tough it is to take care of a child" - Kei Nishikori on the birth of his first child

Kei Nishikori confirmed while speaking to Japan's Daily Sports Online that he has become a father. The Japanese star had taken to Twitter in May 2021 to announce that he and his partner were expecting later in the year, and in his latest interaction he talked about the difficulties of parenthood.

"Only after I became a parent I realize how tough it is to take care of a child," Nishikori was quoted as saying. "You should be grateful to your parents."

Japan's Sports Hochi, previously known as the Hochi Shmibun, also confirmed the same story:

Kei Nishikori has usually stayed away from the public eye, maintaining a shroud of secrecy over his private life. In December 2020, the former World No. 4 married Mai Yamauchi, a former model. The two had been dating since 2015.

Kei Nishikori's 2021 season didn't quite hit the mark

Kei Nishikori had a subpar 2021 season at the Slams

Although Kei Nishikori has found marital and parental bliss on the private front, his time on the court has been much less pleasant. Nishikori ended his 2021 season prematurely at the beginning of November, when a back injury made him pull out of the Paris Masters.

The Japanese will finish the year as the No. 47 ranked player in the world, his lowest year-end ranking since 2011.

Kei Nishikori exited the Australian Open earlier this year in the first round itself, going down to Pablo Carreno Busta. He then reached the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he lost to Alexander Zverev.

At Wimbledon he didn't fare well, getting beaten in the second round by Jordan Thompson. And at the US Open, Nishikori had the ill fortune of facing Novak Djokovic in the third round.

The 31-year-old had the same misfortune at the Tokyo Olympics too, where he lost to Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

Despite his struggles, Kei Nishikori's ranking has actually been increasing steadily since July, going up from No. 69 to No. 47. The injury ahead of Paris halted his progress though, and as of now there is no fixed date for when he will return.

But Nishikori has expressed hope of having a strong pre-season for 2022, suggesting that he could be back in time for the big events. In fact, his participation for the ATP 500 tournament at Halle has already been confirmed.