TOKYO - Japan's Kei Nishikori said his love for tennis remains unchanged as he bid farewell to his storied career at a retirement ceremony Tuesday, the final day of the Japan Open championship.

The 36-year-old appeared before a big crowd at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum, which was eager to honor the greatest male player Japan has seen in the sport, one who reached No. 4 in the world rankings and became the country's first Grand Slam singles finalist at the 2014 U.S. Open.