Kei Nishikori facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kei Nishikori

Nishikori at the 2018 French Open
Native name	錦織 圭
Born	(1989-12-29) 29 December 1989 (age 35) Matsue, Shimane, Japan
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Turned pro	2007
Coach	Thomas Johansson
Prize money	US$25,710,357  20th all-time leader in earnings
Official website	keinishikori.com
Singles
Career record	446–223 (66.67%)
Career titles	12
Highest ranking	No. 4 (2 March 2015)
Current ranking	No. 76 (13 January 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2012, 2015, 2016, 2019)
French Open	QF (2015, 2017, 2019)
Wimbledon	QF (2018, 2019)
US Open	F (2014)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2014, 2016)
Olympic Games	Bronze (2016)
Doubles
Career record	27–36 (42.86%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 167 (19 March 2012)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	2R (2011)
Wimbledon	2R (2011)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	QF (2021)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	QF (2014)
Medal record Representing  Japan Olympic Games Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles

Kei Nishikori (born December 29, 1989) is a professional tennis player from Japan. His name in Japanese is 錦織 圭 (Nishikori Kei). He is the only Japanese man in the modern tennis era to be ranked in the top five for singles players. He reached his highest ranking of world No. 4 in March 2015.

Nishikori has won twelve titles on the ATP Tour. He was a finalist at the 2014 US Open. This made him the only man from an Asian country to play in a major Grand Slam singles final. He was also the first man from Asia to qualify for the ATP Finals, reaching the semifinals in 2014 and 2016.

He won the bronze medal in singles at the 2016 Summer Olympics by defeating Rafael Nadal. This was Japan's first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years. He is known for winning many matches that go to a deciding set.

About Kei Nishikori

Kei Nishikori was born in Matsue, Japan. His father, Kiyoshi, is an engineer, and his mother, Eri, teaches piano. He has an older sister named Reina. Kei started playing tennis when he was five years old.

In 2001, he won the All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids. When he was 14, in 2004, he moved to Florida, USA, to join the IMG Academy. He has had several coaches, including Michael Chang, who joined his team in 2014.

Nishikori married Mai Yamauchi in December 2020. He enjoys soccer, golf, reading, and listening to music.

Kei Nishikori's Tennis Career

Early Career and Junior Years

Nishikori played his first junior match in April 2002 when he was 13. He won a tournament in Morocco in 2004. In 2006, he reached the quarterfinals of the Junior French Open in singles. He also won the boys' doubles title at that tournament with his partner Emiliano Massa.

As a junior, he had a good record, winning 73 matches and losing 37 in singles. He reached a combined ranking of No. 7 in the world in July 2006.

Turning Professional: 2007-2008

Nishikori became a professional player in 2007. He reached the finals of two USTA Pro Circuit events. He also played in his first ATP main-draw tournament in Los Angeles. In July, he reached his first ATP quarterfinal in Indianapolis. He was the youngest player to do so there since Boris Becker in 1985.

Nishikori at the 2008 US Open.

In 2008, Nishikori won his first ATP title at the Delray Beach tournament. He was ranked world No. 244 at the time. In the final, he surprised top seed James Blake. This made him the first Japanese man in almost 16 years to win an ATP event.

He made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon, but had to stop playing due to an injury. At the US Open, he made history by becoming the first Japanese player in 71 years to reach the round of 16. He beat fourth seed David Ferrer in a big upset.

Injuries and Comebacks: 2009-2011

In 2009, Nishikori faced a tough year due to a right elbow injury. He had to withdraw from the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

He made his comeback in 2010. He won two Challenger tournaments. He played in his first French Open, reaching the second round. At the US Open, he reached the third round, his best Grand Slam result that year.

Nishikori at the 2011 Australian Open.

In 2011, Nishikori continued to improve. He reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal at the Shanghai Masters. He defeated strong players like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. This helped him reach a career-high ranking of world No. 30.

Later that year, he defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the 2011 Swiss Indoors Basel tournament. This was a big win, as it was only Djokovic's fourth loss of the season. Nishikori reached the final but lost to Roger Federer.

Major Milestones: 2012-2014

At the 2012 Australian Open, Nishikori reached the quarterfinals. He was the first Japanese male player to do so in 80 years. He won his second ATP title at the Rakuten Japan Open in Tokyo. This was a historic win, as he became the first Japanese man to win the Japan Open in its 41-year history.

Nishikori at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships.

In 2013, Nishikori won his third career title at the U.S. National Indoor Championships. He also defeated Roger Federer at the Madrid Open.

In 2014, Michael Chang joined Nishikori's coaching team. Nishikori defended his title at the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships. He reached his first Masters 1000 final at the Madrid Open. He faced world No. 1 Rafael Nadal but had to retire due to a back injury.

Nishikori made history at the 2014 US Open by reaching his first Grand Slam final. He beat strong players like Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka. In the semifinals, he defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. This made him the first Asian man ever to reach a Grand Slam final. He lost the final to Marin Čilić. His ranking rose to world No. 8.

He won two more titles in Asia, the Malaysian Open and the Rakuten Japan Open. He qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time. He reached the semifinals there, ending the year at a career-high world No. 5.

Reaching World No. 4 and Injuries: 2015-2017

In 2015, Nishikori reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open again. He won his eighth singles title at the Memphis Open, becoming the first player to win it three times in a row. By reaching the final of the 2015 Abierto Mexicano Telcel, he reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 4.

Nishikori at the 2015 French Open, after his victory over Paul-Henri Mathieu.

He successfully defended his title at the 2015 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, winning his ninth career title. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 French Open, becoming the first Japanese man to do so in 82 years. However, injuries started to affect him, causing him to retire from matches at Halle and Wimbledon.

He won his 10th career title at the 2015 Citi Open. He qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals for the second year in a row.

In 2016, Nishikori won his fourth straight Memphis title, his 11th ATP title overall. He reached his second Masters 1000 final at the Miami Open, losing to Novak Djokovic.

Nishikori at the 2016 US Open

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal in singles. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the bronze medal match. He reached the semifinals of the US Open, beating world No. 2 Andy Murray in the quarterfinals. He ended the year ranked world No. 5.

In 2017, Nishikori reached the final in Brisbane and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, he suffered a right wrist injury later in the year. He missed the rest of the season and his ranking dropped outside the top 20.

Return and Recent Years: 2018-Present

Nishikori returned from his injury in 2018. He won an ATP Challenger title in Dallas. He reached his fourth Masters 1000 final at the Monte-Carlo Masters, but lost to Rafael Nadal. He reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time, meaning he had reached the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slam events.

At the 2018 US Open, he reached the semifinals again, defeating Marin Čilić in a five-set match. He ended the 2018 season ranked world No. 9.

In 2019, Nishikori won his first title since 2016 at the 2019 Brisbane International. He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

From 2020 to 2022, Nishikori faced more injuries and played fewer tournaments. He had hip surgery in January 2022, which kept him off tour for a long time.

Nishikori at the 2025 ATP Hong Kong Tennis Open

In June 2023, after almost two years, he returned to play at a Challenger event in Puerto Rico and won the title. He became the only player to win a Challenger title while being unranked. In 2024, he used a protected ranking to enter tournaments. He reached his first ATP quarterfinal in a year and first Masters quarterfinal in five years at the 2024 National Bank Open. He returned to the top 150 in the rankings.

In November 2024, he won his eighth ATP Challenger title in Finland. In January 2025, he reached his first ATP Tour final in six years at the Hong Kong Open. He also scored his first win at the 2025 Australian Open since 2019.

National Representation

Davis Cup

Nishikori first played for Japan in the Davis Cup in April 2008. He was 18 years old, making him the youngest player to play for Japan. He has a strong record in Davis Cup matches, winning 19 matches and losing 3.

In 2014, Japan defeated Canada 4–1, and Nishikori helped Japan win three matches. Japan reached the quarterfinals of the World Group for the first time.

Olympics

Nishikori at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Nishikori has represented Japan at four Olympic Games.

• At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he lost in the first round.
• At the 2012 London Olympics, he reached the quarterfinals in singles. He was the first Japanese man to do so since 1924.
• At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he won the bronze medal in singles. This was Japan's first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years.
• At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he reached the quarterfinals, losing to Novak Djokovic.

Rivalries

Nishikori vs. Wawrinka

Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka have played each other eleven times. Wawrinka has won 7 matches, and Nishikori has won 4. Nishikori got his first win against Wawrinka at the 2014 US Open in a thrilling five-set match. They also played in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Australian Open, which Wawrinka won.

Nishikori vs. Raonic

Nishikori and Milos Raonic have played seven times, with Nishikori leading 5–2. Nishikori won their first meeting in the 2012 Japan Open final. At the 2014 US Open, Nishikori won a very long five-set match against Raonic.

Nishikori vs. Ferrer

Nishikori and David Ferrer played 14 times, with Nishikori leading 10–4. Nishikori won their first match at the 2008 US Open, which was his first win over a top-10 player. In 2014, Nishikori won all four of their matches, including an exciting match at the Madrid Open.

Nishikori vs. Čilić

Nishikori and Marin Čilić have played 16 times, with Nishikori leading 10–6. They had a very important match in the final of the 2014 US Open. Čilić won that match. They have played many close matches, including at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Equipment and Endorsements

Nishikori at the 2015 Australian Open.

Kei Nishikori uses Wilson tennis rackets. He wears Uniqlo clothing and Nike shoes. He has many sponsors, including Nissin Foods (makers of Cup Noodles), TAG Heuer, Delta Air Lines, and Japan Airlines. His image has even been put on a Japan Airlines plane called "JET-KEI"! He also carries a Mr. Saturn character from the video game Mother / Earthbound.

Playing Style

Kei Nishikori plays most of his shots from the back of the court, called the baseline. He uses strong groundstrokes (shots hit after the ball bounces) to move his opponents around. He is known for his solid and consistent shots.

Many experts say his two-handed backhand is one of the best in tennis. He hits the ball at its highest point, which makes his shots powerful and hard for opponents to predict.

Nishikori is also praised for his ability to return serves well. Even though he is 5 ft 10 in tall, which is not very tall for a tennis player, his serve is consistent. He uses his strong groundstrokes to make up for his serve not being as powerful as some taller players.

He has one of the highest percentages of wins in matches that go to a deciding set in the modern tennis era.

Career Statistics

Nishikori has won 12 titles in his career. Six of these are ATP Tour 500 titles, and six are ATP Tour 250 titles.

Grand Slam Finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent in the final	Score in the final
Loss	2014	US Open	Hard	Marin Čilić	3–6, 3–6, 3–6