Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori issues public apology after alleged affair with model Azuki Oguchi

Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori has been embroiled in a controversy after Japanese media reported that he was cheating on his wife, Mai Yamauchi, with model Azuki Oguchi. The claim was proven true with his public apology to his family, fans, and sponsors. The news comes at a time when Kei Nishikori had withdrawn from Wimbledon 2025 and has shocked the tennis world, casting further doubts over his off-court woes.
Japanese tennis sensation Kei Nishikori confesses to extramarital relationship, apologizes to family and sponsors
Kei Nishikori married Mai Yamauchi in December 2020, and they have two children together. The scandal erupted when reports claimed that the former world No. 4 and now world No. 61 had been dating Japanese model Azuki Oguchi since 2022. Their romance reportedly began in Hawaii, and they were spotted at the Tokyo residence of Oguchi on June 11, 2025.
In a statement, he apologized to his family, fans, sponsors, and tennis officials for the "dishonest behavior" and emotional distress it inflicted. “I deeply apologize for causing discomfort to everyone who supports me—tennis fans, tennis associations, sponsors, and other related parties—and for their concern and inconvenience due to my dishonest behavior," his apology read. "In addition, I deeply regret that I made my wife, children, and each ‘parent’ feel hurt. From now on, in order to fulfill my life as a responsible member of society, I will solely focus on tennis competitions and produce results. We will do our best to regain your trust."
Kei Nishikori's career has been a trailblazer for Japanese and Asian tennis. He was the first and only Japanese man to win a Grand Slam singles final of the Open Era and won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics against Rafael Nadal. But now with this controversy, it is being marred off-court, a situation that has been rare in his previously low-profile private life.
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Whether his fans and the tennis world will be ready to look to the future with him is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: the next installment in the career of Kei Nishikori will be scrutinized more than ever.