(Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)
Most casual sports fans have never heard of Kei Nishikori before, but that hasn’t stopped him from raking in sponsors—and the cash that comes with them.
Nishikori is ranked 12th in the world and has never played in a Grand Slam final, let alone a semifinal. Despite this low profile, Japan’s top player quietly pocketed $10.5 million dollars this year, enough to land him in the ranks of tennis’ top-earning tennis players, at number 10.
The 23 year old enjoyed his best year on tour to date, amassing nearly $1.5 million in prize money from June 2012 to June 2013 (the period FORBES uses to value the world’s highest-paid athletes). While impressive, these on-court earnings are dwarfed by his endorsement portfolio. Adding appearance fees and exhibitions, FORBES pegs Nishikori’s off-court haul at $9 million during the same time.
Nishikori is a sponsor’s dream for a few reasons. At the tender age of 23 he’s easily the best male to ever play the sport from Japan. His steady but assured rise in the rankings the last few years suggests to fans and advertisers that the best is yet to come. A spokesperson at UNIQLO, one of Kei’s sponsors, said, “his popularity and wide appeal, both in Japan and abroad, is a perfect match for us.”
He can also thank demographics for the opportunity to cash in on his top-flight talent. Say what you will about Japan’s sputtering growth, the island nation still boasts the third largest economy in the world, with demographics (a large, older population with disposable incomes) that dovetail nicely with tennis sponsors’ target audience. Unsurprisingly, half of Nishikori’s sponsors are based in Japan.
The number of advertisers Nishikori has landed is unheard of for someone who hasn’t vaulted to the top ranking or bagged a Grand Slam. “The top five, 10 players soak up the majority of sponsorships. Outside the top 10, there’s not a lot of sponsor money going around,” Michael Russell, an American pro tennis player, told FORBES. In addition to a long-term deal with Uniqlo, Nishikori has Wilson,
The Uniqlo spokesperson added, “We have ambitions to work with Kei on other projects.” An athlete-branded apparel line, a la Nike’s Maria Sharapova collection, would be a natural evolution in their relationship, one that would line Nishikori’s pockets even more.
For Nishikori to take the next step in his career—and match the salaries of the game’s best players—he’ll need to step up at the Slams. So far in his career, he’s only reached one quarterfinal (the 2012 Aussie Open), where he was dispatched by Andy Murray with ease. A stronger serve and a better transition game to the net could help him better contend with the game’s current greats.
Nishikori first made a splash on the men’s tour in 2008 when he won the Delray Beach tournament as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked 244th in the world. Should he claim one of the four Grand Slam titles, Nishikori will see his brand and bottom-line skyrocket, much the same way Li Na’s did in 2011. A surprise French Open titlist in 2011, Li became one of the richest athletes in the world thanks to her triumph in Paris, pocketing $18 million that year alone.
Lifting one of tennis’ biggest trophies would propel Nishikori to worldwide superstardom, and give him the take-home pay to match, not that he’s hurting for money at the moment. His agent, IMG Tennis Vice President Olivier van Lindonk, noted, “We've said no to several deals based on the fact that it did not fit in Kei’s lifestyle and portfolio.” That will be the key to long-term financial success for Nishikori and his team: ensuring that new sponsorships align with the tennis star's clean-cut, affable image.
As Nishikori continues to ascend tennis’ rankings, expect to see him climb the rungs of the sport’s top earners as well.
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