Kei Nishikori's "trail-blazing wins for Japanese tennis in the U.S. Open" over the past week are landing "big marketing victories for sponsors including a fashion retailer and a watch brand as surprised as anyone at his historic feat," according to Chang-Ran Kim of REUTERS. The "surprise win" over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has "lifted sales at sponsor Fast Retailing, owner of the
Uniqlo casualwear brand." Even a "non-sponsor like racket maker Yonex Co
saw its shares reach multi-year highs." Uniqlo's line of Kei Nishikori polo shirts with its red-and-white logo patch has sold out in Japan. The "only item left in its online store for Nishikori's U.S. Open line on Monday were a pair of white track pants." Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer, owned by LVMH, is also a sponsor. Japanese
pay-TV operator Wowow Inc., which "caught national broadcasters
flat-footed by securing exclusive rights to air all matches over the
two-week tournament, is also reaping rewards" from Nishikori's victory. Wowow spokesperson Osamu Sakiyama said, "We've
had more than 10 times the number of queries for our service compared
to the same time last year." Another winner on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange "is Yonex as investors predicted a surge in sales on the back of
soaring interest in the sport." Yonex's shares ended up 1,080 yen ($10) at an eight-year high "despite having no sponsorship deal with Nishikori, who uses a Wilson" (REUTERS, 9/8).
