A clear-cut, straight-sets defeat to Novak Djokovic on Saturday in the last four of the ATP World Tour Finals saw Kei Nishikori's season close on a downer, but his disappointment should be tempered given the strides he made in 2016.
Nishikori, who ends the season ranked No. 5 in the world, racked up a career-high 58 wins over a season that saw him become the first Japanese in 96 years to reach the Olympic tennis podium and beat now world No. 1 Andy Murray in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
The 26-year-old is, nonetheless, keeping things in perspective.