The North American hard-court season, which culminates with the US Open, gets underway in earnest on Monday at ATP Washington.
The field for this 500-level tournament features plenty of American stars like Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and Frances Tiafoe, but the most intriguing name may be Kei Nishikori. The former US Open runner-up and 12-time winner on the ATP Tour has announced that he will retire after this season, bringing to an end a legendary career.
Nishikori, who won this event in 2015, is a decided underdog against Juncheng “Jerry” Shang in Round 1 on Monday evening.
ATP Washington pick: Nishikori vs. Shang
At the peak of his powers, Nishikori was a wonder to watch on the court. He was a master at keeping his opponent on his toes, and he made up for his lack of size and power with elegant shot-making and elite agility.
He was never able to win the big one, but an in-form Nishikori was a nightmare for any player.
Those days are in the rear-view mirror, and Nishikori has spent a great deal of time on the sidelines this season, but he should have a puncher’s chance on Monday.
Not only will Nishikori have the crowd behind him as they try to will the former World No. 4 to a victory in his last appearance in Washington, D.C., but he’ll also be taking on an opponent who has been out of action since February and has barely played any tennis over the past two seasons.
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Shang, 21, looked like he was on his way to big things after an impressive 2024 campaign ended with an invite to the NextGen Finals, but it’s been a nightmare for the Chinese pro since then.
A foot injury limited him to 14 matches in 2025, and he’s only played seven this year. Unsurprisingly, the results have been pretty pedestrian for Shang.
Against any other opponent in this field, Nishikori would be in plenty of trouble. But Shang’s lack of action over the last two years makes him ripe for the picking on Monday.
The Play: Kei Nishikori moneyline (+184, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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