Kei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest US Open Qualifiers Odds - Wednesday, August 26th
Kei Nishikori continues his farewell US Open run against 16-year-old American Michael Antonius in the second round of qualifying Wednesday. Nishikori survived his opening test against Sebastian Ofner, leaving the former finalist two victories away from one final appearance in the main draw.
Peter Alexis - August 26, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT
4 Minute ReadKei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Prediction: Can Nishikori Continue Legacy Run Ahead of Retirement at Final Slam?
Nishikori and Antonius are scheduled for a 2:30 PM ET start on Stadium 17. Nishikori is a -143 favorite with Antonius at +117, a surprisingly competitive market considering the enormous gap in age and Grand Slam experience between the two wild cards.
The first step of Nishikori's farewell run was a success. He defeated No. 16 qualifying seed Sebastian Ofner 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, responding to a poor second set by taking control again in the decider. Nishikori broke four times and closed the match in 90 minutes to keep his final US Open alive.
Kei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Odds
- Moneyline: Nishikori (-143), Antonius (+120)
Kei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Wednesday, August 26th, 2026
- Time: 2:30 PM ET
- Where to Watch: Tennis Channel
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Kei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Prediction
The significance of this tournament cannot be overstated for the 36-year-old. Nishikori plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season and received a qualifying wild card for his farewell US Open. He reached the final here in 2014 and returned to the semifinals in both 2016 and 2018, making New York the site of several of the greatest moments of his career.
Antonius is no ordinary 16-year-old qualifier. The American crushed Henry Searle 6-1, 6-2 in his opener, reached the Roland Garros boys' final earlier this summer and became the youngest player since 2014 to win a men's singles title on the ITF World Tennis Tour. His first-round performance makes this a legitimate test rather than a ceremonial stop on Nishikori's farewell run.
That said, the jump from beating another young player to facing Nishikori on Stadium 17 is enormous. Antonius has almost no experience in situations like this, while Nishikori has spent two decades navigating Grand Slam pressure, long rallies and opponents trying to overpower him from the baseline.
Nishikori also looked physically capable of handling a difficult match Tuesday. Losing the second set to Ofner could have turned into another frustrating comeback attempt, but instead he immediately reset and won the decider 6-2. That resilience matters against a teenager playing without much pressure.
Kei Nishikori vs. Michael Antonius Best Bet
- Best Bet: Kei Nishikori Moneyline -143 Check out the best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
The sentimental angle is not enough on its own, but the tennis still supports the veteran at a manageable -143 price. Antonius may become a major American prospect, but Nishikori has one final main draw to chase and showed Tuesday that there is still enough quality left to get there.
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