History of Kei Nishikori in Timeline
Kei Nishikori is a highly accomplished Japanese professional tennis player. He holds the distinction of being the only Japanese man in the Open Era to achieve a top-five singles ranking, reaching world No. 4 in 2015. Nishikori has secured twelve ATP Tour titles and made history as the first man representing an Asian country to reach a major singles final at the 2014 US Open. Furthermore, he was the first man from Asia to qualify for the ATP Finals, advancing to the semifinals twice. Currently, he stands as the top-ranked Japanese player.
4 hours ago : Kei Nishikori Apologizes for Cheating Scandal Before Wimbledon, Admits Affair With Model
Kei Nishikori issued an apology after being caught in a cheating scandal with his wife. The tennis star confessed to having an affair with a model, ahead of Wimbledon.
1920: Achievement since 1920 Summer Olympics
In 2016, Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese man to win an Olympic tennis medal since Ichiya Kumagae in the 1920 Summer Olympics.
1924: Last time a Japanese man reached Quarterfinals at Olympics
At the London 2012 Olympics, Kei Nishikori reached the singles quarterfinals, becoming the first Japanese man to do so since Takeichi Harada in the 1924 Paris Olympics.
1933: Jiro Sato Reached Semifinals at French Championships
In 1933, Jiro Sato reached the semifinals at the French Championships (now French Open), a milestone that Kei Nishikori surpassed in 2014 by reaching the US Open final.
1985: Youngest Quarterfinalist at Indianapolis Since Boris Becker
In 1985, Boris Becker was the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals at Indianapolis, a feat that Kei Nishikori matched later in his career.
July 1992: Broke Shuzo Matsuoka's Record
In July 1992, Shuzo Matsuoka set the previous Japanese record of No. 46, which was later broken by Kei Nishikori when he reached a career-high of world No. 30.
2001: Won All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids
In 2001, Kei Nishikori won the All Japan Tennis Championships for Kids, marking an early achievement in his tennis career.
April 2002: First Junior Match
In April 2002, Kei Nishikori played his first junior match at the age of 13 at a grade 1 tournament in Japan.
2004: Won the Riad 21 Tournament in Rabat, Morocco
In 2004, Kei Nishikori won the title at the Riad 21 Tournament in Rabat, Morocco, marking an early achievement in his junior career.
2004: Joined IMG Academy in Florida
In 2004, at the age of 14, Kei Nishikori moved to Bradenton, Florida, to join the IMG Academy to further his tennis training.
2005: First Round Appearance at Wimbledon (Junior)
In 2005, Kei Nishikori made his first round appearance at Wimbledon during his junior career. He also reached the third round of the US Open in the same year.
2005: US Open First Round (Junior)
In 2005, Kei Nishikori reached the first round of the US Open (Junior).
2005: Grand Slam without Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic in final
The 2014 US Open final between Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic was the first Grand Slam final since the 2005 Australian Open where none of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic reached the final.
July 2006: Achieved Combined Junior Ranking of No. 7
In July 2006, Kei Nishikori achieved a combined ranking of No. 7 in the world as a junior player, based on a 73–37 win–loss record in singles and 53–31 in doubles.
2006: Quarterfinal Appearances at Australian and French Open (Junior)
In 2006, Kei Nishikori reached the quarter-finals of both the Australian Open and the French Open in his junior career.
2006: Quarter-finalist at Junior French Open
In 2006, Kei Nishikori was a boys' singles quarter-finalist at the Junior French Open. He also partnered with Emiliano Massa to win the boys' doubles title at the same tournament.
2006: French Open Win & Australian Open Semi-Final (Junior)
In 2006, Kei Nishikori won the French Open (Junior) and reached the semi-final of the Australian Open.
2007: Won Luxilon Cup
In 2007, Kei Nishikori won the Luxilon Cup, held at the Sony Ericsson Open, by defeating Michael McClune.
June 2008: Forfeited First Round Match at Wimbledon
On 23 June 2008, Kei Nishikori's first Grand Slam appearance at the Wimbledon Championships ended in a first-round forfeiture to French player Marc Gicquel due to an abdominal muscle strain; he retired after the second set.
August 2008: Reached Round of 16 at US Open
On 30 August 2008, Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese player in 71 years to reach the round of 16 at the US Open after defeating fourth seed David Ferrer.
2008: First ATP World Tour meeting against Cilic
In 2008, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic had their first ATP World Tour meeting at Indian Wells, where Cilic won in straight sets.
2008: Olympics Debut
In 2008, Nishikori represented Japan at his first Olympics in Beijing, where he lost in the first round to Rainer Schüttler.
2008: First win over a top-10 player
In 2008, at the US Open, Kei Nishikori registered his first win over a top-10 player by beating David Ferrer in a five-set match as a teenager.
2008: Named ATP Newcomer of the Year
On 25 March, 2008, Kei Nishikori was named 2008 ATP Newcomer of the Year, becoming the first Asian player to win the award. He also suffered an injury to his right elbow, causing him to withdraw from the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
May 2010: Won Sarasota Open
On 15 May 2010, Kei Nishikori won the Sarasota Open by defeating Brian Dabul in three sets.
2010: First Win against Cilic at US Open
In 2010, Kei Nishikori avenged his loss to Marin Cilic at the US Open, winning in a five-set match.
2011: Played against Ferrer four times between 2011 and 2013
From 2011 to 2013, Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer played four times with Ferrer winning three times in straight sets and Nishikori winning only once in the 2012 Olympics.
2011: Met Cilic at Chennai Open
In 2011, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic met at the Chennai Open, where Nishikori won in three sets.
2011: Commercial for Weider in Jelly
In 2011, Kei Nishikori filmed a commercial for Morinaga & Company's sports drink Weider in Jelly.
January 2012: Lowest Ranking Since January 2012
Following an extended absence due to a right wrist problem, Kei Nishikori fell to World No.22 in January 2012, his lowest ranking since January 2012.
2012: Reached Quarterfinals at London Olympics
At the London 2012 Olympics, Kei Nishikori reached the singles quarterfinals, becoming the first Japanese man to do so since 1924. He also competed in doubles with Go Soeda.
2012: Won against Ferrer at the Olympics
Between 2011 and 2013, Kei Nishikori played David Ferrer four times. Nishikori won once against Ferrer at the 2012 Olympics in three sets.
2012: First Meeting with Raonic at Rakuten Japan Open
In 2012, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic first met at the Rakuten Japan Open final, with Nishikori winning in three sets.
2012: First two meetings against Wawrinka
In 2012, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka had their first two meetings, with Wawrinka winning both, at the Cincinnati Masters and Buenos Aires.
2012: Reached Quarterfinals of Australian Open
In 2012, Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, becoming the first Japanese male player to achieve this in 80 years.
2012: Cilic avenged loss at US Open
In 2012, Marin Cilic avenged his past US Open loss to Kei Nishikori by beating him in four sets.
2012: Steam Pro Racquet Availability
In 2012, special versions of the Steam racquet were sold by Wilson exclusively in Japan. The Steam Pro was available for sale, and was advertised as having the same specifications as Nishikori's actual racquet.
2012: First Time Since 2012
In 2018, Kei Nishikori entered the Monte-Carlo Masters for the first time since 2012, having never progressed past the third round at the tournament before.
2013: Played against Ferrer four times between 2011 and 2013
From 2011 to 2013, Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer played four times with Ferrer winning three times in straight sets and Nishikori winning only once in the 2012 Olympics.
2013: Won Memphis Open Title
In 2013, Kei Nishikori beat Marin Cilic at the Memphis Open in straight sets to progress to the SF and he would later go on to win the title.
2013: Lost in First Round of US Open to Dan Evans
In 2013, Kei Nishikori lost in the first round of the US Open to Dan Evans, who was ranked lower than him, in straight sets.
March 2014: Fell out of Top 20 Ranking Since March 2014
Following an extended absence due to a right wrist problem, Kei Nishikori fell to World No.22, his first time out of the top 20 in the rankings since March 2014.
2014: Victory over Federer since 2014
At the ATP Finals, Kei Nishikori defeated Roger Federer in straight sets. This was Nishikori's first victory over Federer since 2014 and ended a six-match losing streak against him.
2014: Rematch of the 2014 Final
At the US Open, Kei Nishikori faced Marin Čilić in a rematch of the 2014 final. He won a close five-set victory and advanced to the semifinals.
2014: Meetings with Cilic in 2014
In 2014, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic met three times. Nishikori won at the Brisbane International and the Barcelona Open, but Cilic won at the US Open final.
2014: Meetings with Raonic in Madrid, Wimbledon and US Open
In 2014, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic met four times. Nishikori won at the Madrid Masters, Raonic won at Wimbledon, and Nishikori won at the US Open.
2014: Failing to defend points from the final
In 2014, Kei Nishikori made it to the final. In 2015, he failed to defend his points from the final, which resulted in his ranking dropping to sixth.
2014: Reached First Grand Slam Final at US Open
In 2014, Kei Nishikori reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open after defeating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, becoming the first Asian man ever to reach a Grand Slam tournament final. He later lost to Marin Čilić in the final, and his singles ranking improved to world No.8.
2014: Reached Semifinals of Gerry Weber Open
In 2014, Kei Nishikori reached the semifinals of the Gerry Weber Open before losing to Roger Federer in straight sets.
2014: First Win against Wawrinka at US Open
In 2014, Kei Nishikori recorded his first win against Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals of the US Open in a five-set match. Nishikori later became the finalist of the tournament.
2014: 2014 US Open Semifinals
In 2014, Kei Nishikori replicated his US Open run by reaching the semifinals, where he lost to Stan Wawrinka. His victory over Andy Murray in the quarterfinals was arguably his biggest since the 2014 US Open.
2014: Runner-up at the US Open
In 2014, Kei Nishikori was the runner-up at the US Open, making him the only man representing an Asian country to contest a major singles final.
2014: Nishikori won all four encounters against Ferrer
In 2014, Kei Nishikori won all four of his encounters with David Ferrer, marking a turning point in their head-to-head record.
2014: Michael Chang became his coach
In 2014, Michael Chang became the coach of Kei Nishikori.
March 2015: Reached career-high ranking of world No. 4
In March 2015, Kei Nishikori reached his career-high ranking of world No. 4, making him the only Japanese man in the Open Era to achieve this milestone and the second man in history after Jiro Sato.
2015: Meetings with Raonic during the 2015 season
During the 2015 season, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic met twice.
2015: Use of Wilson Burn 95
From the 2015 to the 2018 season, Kei Nishikori used the Wilson Burn 95.
2015: Matches against Raonic in Brisbane and Davis Cup
In 2015, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic first met at the Brisbane International, with Raonic winning. Later in 2015, Nishikori won in the Davis Cup against Raonic.
2015: Meetings with Ferrer in 2015
In 2015, Kei Nishikori beat David Ferrer at the Australian Open. Ferrer beat Nishikori at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, but Nishikori took revenge and won against Ferrer at the Madrid Open.
2015: 2015 Italian Open and French Open Campaigns
In 2015, Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinal at the Italian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic. At the French Open, he reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 82 years for a Japanese man, before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
2015: Clay-Court Season and Title Defense at Barcelona Open
In 2015, Kei Nishikori started his clay-court season at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, reaching the final and defeating Pablo Andújar to win his ninth career title. He also advanced to the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open, losing to Andy Murray.
2015: Won Memphis Open for Third Consecutive Time
In 2015, Kei Nishikori won his eighth singles title at the Memphis Open, becoming the first player to win the tournament three times in a row.
2015: 2015 Hard-Court Season
In 2015, Kei Nishikori won the Citi Open, defeating John Isner in the final. He also reached the semifinals of the Rogers Cup, defeating Rafael Nadal for the first time. He withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters and lost in the first round of the US Open.
2015: Lost to Wawrinka in Australian Open Quarterfinal
In 2015, at the Australian Open quarterfinal, Stan Wawrinka beat Kei Nishikori in straight sets.
2015: Reached Career High World Ranking of No. 4
In 2015, by reaching the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Kei Nishikori earned enough ATP ranking points to move into a new career-high world ranking of No. 4.
February 2016: First tournament victory since February 2016
In 2019, Kei Nishikori won the Brisbane International, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. This was his first tournament victory since February 2016 and broke his streak of nine consecutive final losses.
2016: Meetings with Wawrinka and ATP World Tour Finals
In 2016, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka met three times, with Nishikori winning two of those meetings. At the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals, Nishikori defeated Wawrinka in their round-robin match.
2016: Won Bronze Medal at the Summer Olympics
In 2016, Kei Nishikori defeated Rafael Nadal to win the bronze medal in singles at the Summer Olympics, securing Japan's first Olympic tennis medal in 96 years.
2016: 2016 ATP World Tour Finals
In 2016, Kei Nishikori made his third successive appearance at the year-end championships, the ATP World Tour Finals. He won his first match against Stan Wawrinka but lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, ending the season ranked World No. 5.
2016: Reached the Semifinals in ATP Finals
In 2016, Kei Nishikori reached the semifinals of the ATP Finals, marking his second time reaching this stage of the tournament after 2014. He is also the first man from Asia to qualify for the ATP Finals.
2016: Meetings with Cilic in 2016
In 2016, Kei Nishikori retired mid-match against Marin Cilic at Wimbledon and lost to Cilic in the final of the Swiss Indoors. Cilic also defeated Nishikori at the ATP World Tour Finals.
2016: 2016 Summer Olympics Bronze Medal
In 2016, Kei Nishikori won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics, defeating Rafael Nadal. He became the first Japanese man to win an Olympic tennis medal since 1920.
August 2017: Return to ATP Tour Competition
Kei Nishikori made his return to the ATP Tour competition (since August 2017 Montreal) at the inaugural ATP 250 Tournament in New York.
2017: Switched to Nike Vapor Tour Shoes
As of the beginning of 2017, Kei Nishikori started wearing red Nike Vapor Tour shoes, after almost a decade in Adidas.
2018: Reached US Open Semifinal
At the 2018 US Open, Kei Nishikori defeated Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinal, marking only the third time he advanced past the quarters in any of the four majors.
2018: First Top 10 Win Since 2018
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kei Nishikori recorded his first top 10 win since 2018 by beating Andrey Rublev in the first round.
2018: Use of Wilson Burn 95
From the 2015 to the 2018 season, Kei Nishikori used the Wilson Burn 95.
2018: 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters and Italian Open
In 2018, Kei Nishikori reached the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters, losing to Rafael Nadal. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Italian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic.
2018: 2018 Return to the ATP Tour
In 2018, Kei Nishikori returned to ATP Tour competition at the ATP 250 Tournament in New York and later participated in the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.
2018: 2018 Season Comeback and ATP Challenger Title
In 2018, after a 5-month injury layoff, Kei Nishikori returned to play at American challenger tour events. He won his sixth ATP Challenger career title in Dallas, defeating Mackenzie McDonald in the final.
2019: Endorsement of Wilson Ultra 95
As of 2019, Kei Nishikori endorses the Wilson Ultra 95 after the dismissal of the Burn line.
2019: First win at the Australian Open since 2019
At the 2025 Australian Open, Nishikori scored his first win at the tournament since 2019 with his 29th five-set career win over Thiago Monteiro.
2019: 2019 Brisbane International Title
In 2019, Kei Nishikori won the Brisbane International, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. It was his first tournament victory since February 2016, breaking a streak of nine consecutive final losses.
2019: Most Recent Meeting with Wawrinka
In 2019, Stan Wawrinka won his most recent meeting with Kei Nishikori at the Madrid Open.
2019: First Quarterfinal Since Wimbledon 2019
Kei Nishikori made his first quarterfinal since Wimbledon 2019 in 2021 Rotterdam, after beating 7th seed Félix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur.
2019: Third Round at 2019 US Open
Kei Nishikori reached the third round at the 2019 US Open.
September 2020: Return to Major Level at 2020 French Open
In September 2020, Kei Nishikori returned to the Major level at the 2020 French Open, winning his first round match after the COVID season break.
December 2020: Married Mai Yamauchi
In December 2020, Kei Nishikori married his long-term girlfriend, Mai Yamauchi, marking a significant life event.
2020: 2020 Tokyo Olympics Quarterfinals
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kei Nishikori recorded his first top 10 win since 2018 by beating Andrey Rublev. He reached the quarterfinals, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
2021: 2021 Rotterdam and Dubai Quarterfinals
In 2021, Kei Nishikori made his first quarterfinal since Wimbledon 2019 in Rotterdam, and also reached the quarterfinals in Dubai.
2021: 2021 Citi Open and US Open
In 2021, Kei Nishikori participated in the Citi Open, reaching the semifinals. He also reached the third round at the 2021 US Open. His last event of the season was at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open.
2021: 2021 Season Start and Australian Open
In 2021, Kei Nishikori started his season at the ATP Cup, losing both singles matches. At the Australian Open, he lost in the first round to Pablo Carreño Busta.
2021: 2021 Clay-Court Swing
In 2021, Kei Nishikori's clay-court swing included tournaments in Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome. He recorded his best Grand Slam result in over a year at the French Open, reaching the fourth round.
2021: First tournament since Indian Wells 2021
Kei Nishikori competed in his first tournament since Indian Wells 2021 at the 2023 Atlanta Open where he reached the quarterfinals defeating Juncheng Shang.
2021: Last Major Win until 2024
Kei Nishikori's win at the 2024 French Open was his first Major win since the US Open in 2021.
January 25, 2022: Left Hip Surgery Announcement
On January 25, 2022, Kei Nishikori announced that he would undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left hip and aimed to return to the tour in about six months.
June 2022: Return to Top 100 Rankings
After the 2025 Hong Kong Open, Kei Nishikori returned to the top 100 in the rankings on 6 January 2025, for the first time since June 2022.
2022: Affair with Azuki Oguchi reportedly began
In 2022, Kei Nishikori's affair with model Azuki Oguchi reportedly began after they met in Honolulu, Hawaii. This event later became a public controversy.
April 2023: Comeback Announcement
In April 2023, Kei Nishikori announced he was planning to make his comeback at a Challenger level in May 2023, after one and a half year of absence.
May 2023: Challenger Comeback
In April 2023, Kei Nishikori announced he was planning to make his comeback at a Challenger level in May 2023, after one and a half year of absence.
2023: Delayed Return to Tournament
In 2023, Kei Nishikori aimed to return for the Australian Open but delayed his return due to an ongoing foot injury.
2023: 2023 Atlanta Open and Injury
In 2023, Kei Nishikori reached the quarterfinals of the Atlanta Open but skipped ATP Challenger tournaments due to a left knee injury.
2024: Resumed Affair with Azuki Oguchi
In 2024, after a temporary end, Kei Nishikori reportedly resumed his affair with Azuki Oguchi. The affair was already in progress since 2022.
June 2025: Reported Affair with Azuki Oguchi
In June 2025, it was reported that Kei Nishikori was involved in an affair with a model named Azuki Oguchi, which reportedly began in 2022.
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