Tennis player Kei Nishikori “is all the rage in Japan after becoming the first Asian player to reach the U.S. Open men's final,” as both his Uniqlo-branded shirts and Wilson rackets "have sold out," according to Mari Yamaguchi of the AP. Tennis retailer Windsor Corp. said that tennis players “have snapped up Wilson Steam 95 rackets, which have been out of stock since late August.” The rackets “have been popular since Nishikori's victory in the Barcelona Open in April.” Windsor said that dozens of people are currently “on the waiting list and customers are also buying the shoes, racket strings and grip tape used by the star.” Nishikori’s Uniqlo U.S. Open "Dry Ex" shirts “have also sold out." Excitement over Nishikori is "even spilling over to an instant noodle brand.” Nissin Food Products Co., which has sponsored Nishikori since ‘08, said that there “may be a special reward for the star if he wins.” The company “has sold a special Kei Nishikori version of instant noodles in the past, and there may be another” (AP, 9/8). REUTERS' Chang-Ran Kim reports Nishikori’s win in the semifinals against No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic has “lifted sales at sponsor Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo casualwear brand.” The only item left in Uniqlo's online store for Nishikori’s U.S. Open line "were a pair of white track pants” (REUTERS, 9/8).
WHAT'S YET TO COME: In N.Y., Christopher Clarey writes tonight’s final between Nishikori and Marin Cilic is “certainly an excellent glimpse of what the more egalitarian future of the tennis world could look like.” But “in commercial terms, a new star’s nationality is also a major factor.” While the Croatian-bord Cilic is from a "tiny market.” Nishikori ”comes from a major market." He already ranked "on the short list just behind the Big 4 in off-court earnings in the men’s game” prior to his U.S. Open run. IMG Head of Tennis Fernando Soler, whose firm manages Nishikori, said, “Kei’s success will have ramifications for all aspects of tennis in the country, which is good because there will be new money coming to tennis.” Clarey notes Nishikori’s “timing is also excellent with the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and companies, both in Japan and abroad, looking to link sponsorship deals with the Games.” But it is “also questionable whether Nishikori’s success will translate into growing the sport in Asia” (N.Y. TIMES, 9/8).
