ATP Tour

Tsitsipas’ touching gesture to Kukushkin after Kazakhstani's final match in Almaty

Mikhail Kukushkin brought down the curtain on his ATP Tour career Wednesday at the Almaty Open, where the home hero bowed out to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round.

Despite earning an overwhelming 62-minute victory, Tsitsipas took a moment to pay tribute to the Kazakhstani. Before beginning his on-court interview, the 28-year-old Greek walked over to an emotional Kukushkin and asked him to sign a shirt, a thoughtful gesture that showed his respect for the veteran as he brought his career to a close.

"It is a very eerie, odd feeling to be playing someone who is going to be playing the last match of his career," Tsitsipas later admitted. "It is not a situation you want to find yourself too often in. It hits you a little bit hard. You feel for your opponent more than you usually are in any type of scenario or match.

"It’s difficult knowing you are coming close to victory in probably the last few points of his career. So, this is his moment. This day is entirely dedicated to him."

^{_{Kukushkin signs autographs for the fans following his final match. Photo: Almaty Open}}

Kukushkin had enjoyed a memorable moment earlier in the week, securing a hard-fought win in front of his home crowd. The 38-year-old began his Almaty campaign Monday with a hard-fought 7-6(4), 7-6(3) victory against Stefanos Sakellaridis, earning himself one final appearance in front of his home fans and setting up his meeting with Tsitsipas.

After that first-round win, Kukushkin celebrated with his family in the stands before reflecting on what it meant to compete in Almaty one last time.

"It was a tough match. I really fight every time I play for Kazakhstan at Davis Cup or at home in Almaty," Kukushkin shared following his victory. "It is a special week for me. Last week on the Tour. This kind of match reminded me of the way I usually play in Davis Cup. Very long match, tough battle. It just reminded me of my whole career, the way I played today. But it was great to feel it one more time.

"It feels like a crazy one. This year I realised this is going to be the last year for me. It is time to go and to finish and retire at home. It is a dream come true. This week is very special. A lot of emotions. I just enjoyed being here one more time."

A former No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Kukushkin turned professional in 2006 and spent nearly two decades competing on the ATP Tour. The Kazakhstani claimed his lone tour-level title in St. Petersburg in 2010 and recorded four victories against Top-10 opponents, including a memorable victory against then-World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka in Basel in 2014.

Kukushkin also represented his country in the Davis Cup each year from 2008 to 2022, becoming a familiar figure for his nation throughout his career.