Yoshihito Nishioka

Overview:

Yoshihito Nishioka, born on September 27, 1995, in Mie, Japan, is a professional tennis player known for his resilience, speed, and determination on the court. Despite standing at just 5’7, his left advantage and impressive footwork can outwork his opponents. Nishioka has claimed several ATP titles and went to the fourth round of the Australian Open and French Open. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee at the age of 21. This forced him to miss the remainder of the season and he had to go through months of rehabilitation. Despite his horrific injury, he remains an avid player in the professional tennis scene, showing his inspiring commitment to the sport.

Childhood:

Growing up in a tennis-oriented family, Nishioka was bound to grow a passion for the sport. His father, Norio Nishioka, was his first coach alongside his mother Kimie Nishioka, and brother Yasuo Nishioka.  His idol growing up was Marcelo Rios which is evident in his dedication to perfecting his backhand. His activities were very well-rounded as he enjoyed golf, table tennis, darts, video games, and reading manga graphic novels, but he stayed playing tennis from the age of 4.

Career:

He turned professional in 2014 and was able to make it to the fourth round of Indian Wells in 2017. In 2018, he won his first ATP title in the Shenzhen Open in China by defeating Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the final round. He continued to win several titles, such as the 2022 Korean Open. In the 2023 Australian Open, he reached the fourth round. In 2024, he defeated Jordan Thompson to obtain his third ATP title at the Atlanta Open.

Injury:

His impressive streak wasn’t all perfect. In March 2017, in the Miami Open, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. His momentum was severely disrupted as he was scheduled to have reconstruction in the middle of the season, and needed to start rehabilitation. He underwent surgery on April 4, 2017, and endured an intensive rehabilitation process in order to return to play. His resilience and determination allowed him to return in January 2018 and secure a victory against Philipp Kohlschreiber. This momentum continued when he eventually won the Shenzhen Open that year. Unfortunately, his recovery process wasn’t over. In his game against Miomir Kecmanovic in August 2024, Nishioaka suddenly fell to the floor in the middle of the game while clutching his left thigh. He experienced severe cramps, muscle spasms, and trouble breathing. It was later announced that he had chosen to withdraw from the competition.

What is an ACL injury?

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur in a non-contact fashion such as quickly changing directions while running. This motion can cause a sudden force on the ligament as you twist and land, leading to the ligament rupture. Grade one sprains include the ligament being slightly stretched but still able to keep the knee joint stable. Grade two is when the ligament is stretched to when it becomes loose, which is considered a partial tear. In the most severe case, the complete tear occurs when it’s been torn in half or pulled off the bone. The treatment options include surgery and rehabilitation depending on the severity. In some cases, surgery is not needed but in the case of a young athlete needing to be involved in agility sports, they will likely need surgery.

Conclusion:

Yoshihito Nishioka’s tennis career is an inspirational story that highlights his resilience and passion for the sport. Even from the beginning, his ascent to gaining several ATP titles showed his abilities to overcome adversity. Despite facing significant injuries, his commitment to sports has remained loyal, allowing him to earn multiple ATP titles and the respect of the tennis community worldwide.

Sources:

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2014. “Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries .” OrthoInfo. 2014. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/anterior-cruciate-ligament-acl-injuries/.

Cosgarea, Andrew. 2023. “ACL Tears in Female Athletes: Q&a with a Sports Medicine Expert.” Www.hopkinsmedicine.org. 2023. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/acl-injury-or-tear/acl-tears-in-female-athletes-qa-with-a-sports-medicine-expert.

Miller, Stuart. 2025. “Getting to Know: Yoshihito Nishioka.” Usopen.org. 2025. https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2020-09-01/2020-09-01_2020-09-01_2020-09-01_2020-09-01_2020-09-01_getting_to_know_yoshihito_nishioka.html.

Roy, Sayantan. 2024. “US Open: Gruesome Scenes as Yoshihito Nishioka Collapses in Pain before Retiring Mid-Match vs Miomir Kecmanovic.” EssentiallySports. August 27, 2024. https://www.essentiallysports.com/atp-tennis-news-us-open-gruesome-scenes-as-yoshihito-nishioka-collapses-in-pain-before-retiring-mid-match-vs-miomir-kecmanovic/.

Smith, Alex. 2024. “US Open Star Collapses to Ground Mid-Game and Leaves Match in Wheelchair in Worrying Scenes...” The Sun. August 27, 2024. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/30100976/yoshihito-nishioka-us-open-collapses-wheelchair/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

Sutton, Ben. 2024. “US Open Rocked by Yoshihito Nishioka’s ‘Very Scary’ Collapse during Loss to Miomir Kecmanovic.” 7NEWS. August 27, 2024. https://7news.com.au/sport/tennis/us-open-rocked-by-yoshihito-nishiokas-very-scary-collapse-during-loss-to-miomir-kecmanovic-c-15843000.

Tennis.com. 2017. “Yoshihito Nishioka Needs Surgery for Torn ACL.” Tennis.com. April 2017. https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/yoshihito-nishioka-needs-surgery-for-torn-acl.

“Yoshihito Nishioka.” 2023. Yonex.com. 2023. https://www.yonex.com/athletes/yoshihito-nishioka/.

“Yoshihito Nishioka Navigates 5 Hours of Rain to Win Atlanta Title | ATP Tour | Tennis.” 2019. ATP Tour. 2019. https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nishioka-thompson-atlanta-2024-final.