Kei Nishikori
Kei Nishikori is a Japanese professional tennis player. He is the only Japanese man in the Open Era to have been ranked in the top five in singles, reaching his career-high ranking of world No. 4 in March 2015, and the second man in history to do so after Jiro Sato. Nishikori has won twelve titles on the ATP Tour and was runner-up at the 2014 US Open, making him the only man representing an Asian country to contest a major singles final. He also became the first man from Asia to qualify for the ATP Finals, reaching the semifinals in 2014 and 2016.
In addition, Nishikori defeated Rafael Nadal to win the bronze medal in singles at the 2016 Summer Olympics, bringing Japan its first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years. He holds one of the highest percentages of deciding-set wins in the Open Era and has the third-highest win percentage in matches extending to five sets, with a record of 29–8 and a win percentage of 78.4%.
Personal life
Nishikori was born in Matsue in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. His father, Kiyoshi, is an engineer, and his mother, Eri, is a piano teacher. He has an older sister, Reina, who graduated from college and works in Tokyo. He began playing tennis at the age of five. He first won the All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids in 2001, and graduated from Aomori-Yamada High School. Nishikori moved to Bradenton, Florida to join the IMG Academy in 2004 at 14 years of age. Nishikori was previously coached by Brad Gilbert, Dante Bottini, Michael Chang and Thomas Johansson.Nishikori married his long-term girlfriend Mai Yamauchi in December 2020. His pastimes include soccer, golf, reading, and listening to music.
In June 2025, it was reported that Nishikori was involved in an affair with a model named Azuki Oguchi. The affair reportedly began in 2022 when the two met in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was also reported that Oguchi's then-boyfriend at the time confronted Nishikori regarding the relationship, but decided to hire a legal team in order to avoid a public scandal and decided to end his relationship with Oguchi the following year, but later resumed it again in 2024. Nishikori reportedly told Oguchi that he no longer loved Yamauchi, and that he only stayed for the sake of their children. He later publicly apologized for his actions.
Career
Junior career
Nishikori played his first junior match in April 2002 at the age of 13 at a grade 1 tournament in Japan. He won the 2004 title at the Riad 21 Tournament in Rabat, Morocco, and was a boys' singles quarter-finalist at the 2006 Junior French Open; he partnering Emiliano Massa to win the boys' doubles title at that tournament. Nishikori won the 2007 Luxilon Cup held at the 2007 Sony Ericsson Open by defeating Michael McClune.As a junior, he compiled a 73–37 win–loss record in singles and 53–31 in doubles, achieving a combined ranking of No. 7 in the world in July 2006.
Junior Grand Slam results – Singles:
Australian Open: QF
French Open: QF
Wimbledon: 1R
US Open: 3R
Junior Grand Slam results – Doubles:
Australian Open: SF
French Open: W
Wimbledon: A
US Open: 1R
2006
Nishikori began the year in March with a wildcard entry to the Kyoto Challenger tournament in Kyoto, Japan, where he lost to Australian Robert Smeets in the round of 32 and just failed to qualify for the doubles tournament. In May, Nishikori qualified for the ITF Futures event in Mazatlán, Mexico, where he was victorious in the men's singles.2007: Turned professional
A finalist in two USTA Pro Circuit events, Nishikori lost to Donald Young in Little Rock, Arkansas and Alex Bogomolov Jr. in Carson, California. He partnered with Young to win the doubles title at Little Rock. At the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Nishikori paired with triple French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, but the two were defeated in the first round. Nishikori served as a hitting partner for Roger Federer at Wimbledon.After his ATP main draw debut in Los Angeles, Nishikori qualified for the Indianapolis Tennis Championships in July. He beat Alejandro Falla in the first round to record his first ATP main-draw win. He followed that up with a three-set win over Michael Berrer, the eliminator of seventh seed Robby Ginepri, to advance to his first ATP quarterfinal. Although he lost to Dmitry Tursunov in two sets, Nishikori became the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals at Indianapolis since Boris Becker in 1985.
Later that month, Nishikori headed to Washington, D.C. for his third career ATP event. He defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili in the first round before falling to Julien Benneteau in the second. He qualified for the China Open in Beijing, losing in the first round to Ivan Ljubičić. In October, Nishikori received a wildcard entry to the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, where he lost in the first round to Zack Fleishman. He participated in the tournament's draw ceremony and was honored with an award from the Tokyo Sports Writers Club. Nishikori finished the year representing Japan at the Asian Hopman Cup competition in Bangkok, Thailand.
2008: First ATP title
Nishikori started the year by reaching the semifinals of the Miami challenger tournament. He then entered the Delray Beach tournament as a qualifier ranked world No. 244. He gained entrance to the main draw by defeating Nicolás Todero and Alex Bogomolov Jr. In the first round, he defeated Florian Mayer due to a retirement in the second set. In the second round, Nishikori defeated Amer Delić, another qualifier. In the quarterfinals, he won against Bobby Reynolds. In the semifinals, he upset Sam Querrey. In the final, Nishikori upset top seed James Blake in three sets to become the first Japanese man in nearly 16 years to win an ATP event.Nishikori lost in the first round of the Miami Masters to the Spanish player Albert Montañés. He faced James Blake again, this time at the River Oaks International tournament in Houston, Texas in the first round, but Kei lost in two sets. He went out in the third round of the 2008 Queen's Club Championships against Rafael Nadal in just over two hours. Facing the world No. 2, Nishikori played well in the match and showed promise. His first Grand Slam appearance at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships on 23 June 2008 ended in a first-round forfeiture to French player Marc Gicquel. Suffering from an abdominal muscle strain, Nishikori retired after the second set. In August, he entered the Beijing Olympics on a wildcard. There, he lost in the first round to Rainer Schüttler of Germany.
Nishikori made his debut at the US Open, defeating 29th seeded Juan Mónaco in the first round. He cruised to the third round, after downing Croatian Roko Karanušić. On 30 August 2008, he became the first Japanese player to reach the round of 16 at the US Open in 71 years, when he beat fourth seed David Ferrer in five sets in what was considered one of the tournament's major upsets. He lost his chance, however, to compete in the quarterfinals when he was beaten by 17th seed Juan Martín del Potro in straight sets.
In the Japan Open Tennis Championships, he made it to the round of 16, before losing to Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Nishikori was given a wildcard for the Stockholm Open, where he made it to his second ATP level semifinal of the year, despite playing with a knee injury. He received a walkover in his quarterfinal match against Mario Ančić, who had to withdraw due to illness. In the semifinals, he was beaten by fourth seed Robin Söderling.
2009: Injury season
Nishikori made a disappointing start to the season, losing to Jürgen Melzer in the first round of the Australian Open. On 25 March, Nishikori was named 2008 ATP Newcomer of the Year and became the first Asian player to win the award. He withdrew from the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open because of an injured right elbow.2010: French Open debut
Nishikori made his comeback after his injury of the previous year. After receiving a wildcard at Delray Beach, he was beaten in the first round by Benjamin Becker. Kei returned to the Challenger tour later in April with great success, reaching quarterfinals at both Baton Rouge and Tallahassee events, followed by a victory at the Savannah Challenger over Ryan Sweeting in the final. On 15 May 2010, he won the Sarasota open by defeating Brian Dabul, in three sets.Nishikori played in his first French Open. He rebounded from two sets down to defeat Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in the first round but he lost his second match against Novak Djokovic. He lost to Richard Gasquet in the first round of the 2010 Aegon Championships.
At Wimbledon, he played second seed Rafael Nadal in the first round and lost in straight sets.
At the US Open, the Japanese No. 1 met Marin Čilić in the second round. Nishikori ousted the 11th seed in five sets to advance to the third round, his best Grand Slam tournament showing in 2010.
2011: First Masters semifinal, win over World No. 1, Top 25
Nishikori opened the season in Chennai, where he upset two-time defending champion Marin Čilić in the first round, before falling in the quarterfinals to Janko Tipsarević.In the 2011 Australian Open, Nishikori reached the third round, defeating Fabio Fognini and Florian Mayer along the way. His run was ended in the third round by ninth seed Fernando Verdasco. After the third-round appearance in Melbourne, his ranking rose to No. 70.
At the first two ATP Masters Series events of the year, Nishikori suffered a first-round loss at Indian Wells and a second-round loss in Miami. Nishikori then reached his second final at the 2011 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. He was defeated by American wildcard Ryan Sweeting.
At Roland Garros, Nishikori lost in the second round to Sergiy Stakhovsky. He faced Lleyton Hewitt in the first round at Wimbledon, but lost in four sets. Nishikori then retired in his first-round match against Flavio Cipolla at the US Open.
At the Shanghai Masters, Nishikori reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal. He defeated Robin Haase, fourth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Santiago Giraldo, in the first three rounds. In the quarterfinals, Nishikori upset 12th-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets. He lost to No. 2 Andy Murray in his first Masters 1000 semifinal. He reached a career-high of world No. 30, breaking the previous Japanese mark of No. 46, set by Shuzo Matsuoka in July 1992.
In the 2011 Swiss Indoors Basel tournament, Nishikori defeated an ailing world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to reach the final, coming back from a 4–5, 0–30 deficit in the second set. The win was only Djokovic's fourth loss of the season, second loss in a completed match, and first loss of a completed match on a non-clay surface. Nishikori was defeated in the final by Roger Federer. On the heels of the victory, Nishikori was granted special exemption into the 2011 BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, and achieved a ranking of world No. 24.