IMG Worldwide announced that top Japanese male tennis player Kei Nishikori has signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Japan's leading apparel retailer UNIQLO Co. Ltd. Under the agreement, Nishikori will be suiting up in UNIQLO wear for the first time as he takes the court at the Aircel Chennai Open, running from January 3 to 9 in India.
Nishikori, currently one of the youngest players ranked in the top 100 of the ATP World Rankings, has his sights firmly set on becoming the highest ranked Japanese tennis player in history. He is the highest profile athlete to be endorsed by UNIQLO.
UNIQLO will announce more details about the new agreement during a press conference to be held in Tokyo, Japan after Nishikori competes in the Australian Open starting January 11, 2011.
Nishikori returned to play in February 2010 after a year-long lay-off following elbow surgery. He won consecutive ATP Tour Challenger series titles at Savannah and Sarasota in May, before playing in his first French Open shortly thereafter. By summer's end, the 20-year-old had advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open, posting his best Grand Slam finish since 2008.
UNIQLO is a subsidiary of Fast Retailing Co. (FR), is Japan's leading specialty retailer with more than 940 stores worldwide.
