True, it was in October 2007, at Japan Open that Kei Nishikori announced himself as a professional tennis player. But then, the Japanese bloke has been playing tennis since he was a lad, he married the racket sport when he was only five.
Counting Kei’s accomplishments in the game, it is only fair to declare him Asia’s lord of tennis. Hailing from earth’s most populous and largest continent, Kei Nishikori has excellently set himself apart in his chosen profession.
Apart from his emergence as the first Asian male to make it to a Grand Slam singles final, Nishikori is equally celebrated as the first man from Asia who reached the ATP World Tour Finals. Considering these remarkable attainments, it is hardly a surprise that Kei is as well, the only male player from Japan ranked among the top 5 in singles.
Kei Nishikori’s record-breaking streak isn’t a new thing, it dates back to when he was still regarded as an amateur player. His records have it that he showed he would be a force to reckon with in the sport in 2001. On the 5th, 7th, and 8th month of the said year, Kei respectively prevailed in the All-Japan Selected Junior Tennis Championship, All-Japan Elementary School Tennis Championship, and the All Japan Junior Tennis Championship.
Two years later (in 2013), things began to fall in place for Kei to storm the world of tennis at a professional level. This was the year Masaaki Morita Tennis Fund identified with his promising tennis playing abilities and okayed his move to the United States of America where his skills were developed by IMG Academy, a preparatory sport-training boarding school in Bradenton, Florida.
From what we gathered, Nishikori became a student at IMG Academy when he was 14. He trained in the Bollettieri Tennis program and soon, started participating in Junior Circuit tournaments. It was only a matter of time before the chap grabbed his first ATP Tour win, this happened sometime in February 2008. Following his outstanding performance at the Delray Beach international tournament, Kei Nishikori was honored with the year’s ATP Newcomer award.
Fast-forward to 2012, Kei hinted at his intent to establish himself as Japan’s most accomplished tennis player. He made history as the first Japanese player to take the Japan Open title. As the win happened in front of spectators who were largely his fellow countrymen, it has been difficult for tennis lovers in the country to quit adoring Kei.
Although Kei now resides in the United States of America, he was born on 29th December 1989 in Matsue, Shimane, Japan to an engineer, Kiyoshi (father) and his wife Eri. The tennis player isn’t the only child of his parent; before him, they had a daughter whom they named Reina.
Kei Nishikori’s Net Worth
The man has built his wealth from his tennis prize money, numerous endorsement deals, and other business ventures. Kei is always named among the highest-paid tennis players and even among the world’s best-paid athletes.
In 2017, the popular American business magazine (Forbes) listed him on spot 92 in its ranking of the world’s highest-paid celebrities with a total earning of $33.9 million. A major bulk of that amount ($30 million) came from his endorsement deals with many giant establishments including Procter & Gamble and Nike. The remaining ($3.9 million) was from his salary and winnings.
In view of the foregoing, several figures have been quoted as the total value of the man’s wealth. Sadly, we can’t authenticate any of them as they are only a rough estimate of his riches.
Wife or Girlfriend, Is Kei Nishikori Married?
While the details of Kei’s endeavors as a tennis player are readily available, much isn’t know about his love life. This has inspired several speculations and false reports about the man’s romantic affairs and sexual orientation.
Even though there are those wondering if the man is gay, it is widely believed that he is not sexually attracted to his gender. As far as we can tell, the star isn’t married; he has nonetheless, been romantically linked to a fashion model called Ako Mizuki. Though it hasn’t been substantiated when Kei and Ako became lovers, reports from Japan suggest that the two have known each other since 2015.
This goes to hint that the tennis celeb may have been leading a complicated love life as it is equally believed that he was dating Honami Tsuboi, a certified yoga teacher within the same period.
His Height and Weight
There are studies that have suggested that a tennis player’s physical condition like height and weight can impact performance. This is definitely why Kei works hard to stay fit. While it is now practically impossible for him to do anything that will alter his 5 ft. 8 in. (177 cm) height, he leads a healthy lifestyle to maintain his 70 kg weight.
