Wimbledon quarter-finalist breaks silence after being caught in affair with model
Former tennis world No. 4 Kei Nishikori has spoken out after reportedly cheating on his wife with a model whose apartment he was photographed leaving recently
Kei Nishikori has spoken about his personal life after withdrawing from Wimbledon
(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images )
Two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Kei Nishikori has expressed "deep regret" over causing hurt to his family following reports of an affair with a model.
The 35-year-old tennis player, recently spotted exiting the flat of Azuki Oguchi, has been at the centre of speculation. Reports in Japan have claimed Nishikori was involved in a years-long affair with Oguchi.
He married Mai Yamaguchi, also known as Ako Mizuki, in 2020 after a five-year relationship. They have two young children, aged four and one. His recent withdrawal from Wimbledon due to injury was quickly followed by a public confession regarding his personal life.
In a statement, Nishikori said: "I deeply apologise for causing discomfort to everyone who supports me: tennis fans, associations, sponsors, and other related parties, and for their concern and inconvenience due to my dishonest behaviour. Additionally, I deeply regret making my wife and children feel hurt."
According to Shukan Bunshun, Nishikori and Oguchi began their liaison in 2022. The report claims the affair temporarily ended following an altercation with Oguchi's partner at the time but allegedly resumed last year, reports the Express.
While his personal life has been in the spotlight, Nishikori aims to redeem himself through his sporting career. The veteran tennis star spoke about wanting to regain his family's trust and moving past the scandal.
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Nishikori married Mai Yamaguchi in 2020
(Image: Instagram: keinishikori )
He added: "Moving forward, in order to fulfill my role as a responsible member of society, I will focus solely on tennis competitions and achieving results. We will do everything possible to regain their trust."
Nishikori climbed to fourth in the world rankings in 2015, the same year he reached the quarter-finals of the French Open and Australian Open. He reached the US Open final in 2014 too.
The Japanese star also enjoyed success at Wimbledon, reaching the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019. Adding to his list of achievements, Nishikori holds a bronze medal from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Nishikori is at the centre of an off-court scandal
(Image: Getty )
The seasoned player's career has been plagued by injuries since 2021, causing him to drop to 61st in the men's rankings. Further complications led him to pull out of the French Open in May before withdrawing from Wimbledon.
"You have to try to stay patient, otherwise it's very difficult," he admitted in April. "I've done that, and I've got used to the journey, the struggle.
"My body is not the strongest, I know that, so I have to really take care of it. It's important to stay positive and patient. That's what I've learned.
"I just enjoy playing now. I've set some goals. One was to be back in the top 50 and I'm nearly there."
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Nishikori will not be involved when Wimbledon gets underway on June 30. Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejcikova will hope to defend their respective singles titles at the tournament, which concludes on July 13.
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