Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori publicly apologizes for cheating on wife with model

According to Shukan Bunshun, the affair was exposed after Nishikori was photographed visiting Oguchi’s apartment last week. The publication reported that the relationship between the tennis star and the Japanese model had lasted for about a year.

Nishikori later released a statement to Japanese press: "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."

Kei Nishikori and his wife Mai Yamaguchi got married in 2020. Photo by Instagram/@keinishikori

The 35-year-old athlete added that he plans to shift his focus entirely to tennis and his professional goals in order to regain the public's trust and fulfill his responsibilities as a citizen and father.

Nishikori married actress Yamaguchi, also known by her stage name Ako Mizuki, in 2020 after five years of dating. The couple has two children, aged four and one.

Shukan Bunshun reported that Nishikori first met model Oguchi in 2022 in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2023, Oguchi’s then-boyfriend allegedly discovered the affair and confronted both her and Nishikori. The tennis player later hired a lawyer to manage the situation and avoid a public scandal. The relationship reportedly ended soon after but was rekindled in 2024.

Sources say Nishikori told Oguchi that he "no longer loves his wife" and that he stayed in the marriage only for the sake of their children, The Sun reported.

Nishikori remains one of Japan’s most successful tennis players in the Open Era. He reached a career-high ATP ranking of world number four in March 2015 and was runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2014. He recently withdrew from both Roland Garros and Wimbledon due to injury.