Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has married his longtime girlfriend Mai Yamauchi. Nishikori announced on his personal app that the couple had registered their marriage on December 11, 2020.
“Thank you for your warm support,” Nishikori wrote.
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“I would like to report that I have married Mai Yamauchi, who I have been dating for a long time, on December 11th. I want to prepare thoroughly, and with my new companion, look forward to restart for next season.
うわーーー！
錦織選手おめでとうございます！！
結婚生活&選手生活頑張ってください！@keinishikori
https://t.co/95WQLk0Ut1— チムチム (@chimuhappy0912) December 18, 2020
“The difficult situation continues in the midst of the corona. We look forward to your continued support in the future.”
Former model Yamauchi has been dating Nishikori for five years and has accompanied him at Grand Slam and tour events.
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The former World No 4 missed most the 2020 season as he is struggling with fitness issues. Currently ranked No 41 in the world, Nishikori had undergone elbow surgery in October 2019 and returned to the court only in September.
In 2014, Nishikori had become the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam final when he made the summit clash of the US Open. He also won an Olympic bronze for Japan at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
#THISISTENNIS @atptour 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/9C2Njc8K00
— Kei Nishikori (@keinishikori) December 9, 2020
The 31-year-old was almost certain to miss his home Olympics as he was recovering from surgery. But with the pandemic pushing the Tokyo Games to the summer of 2021, Nishikori is gunning for glory.
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“I was planning to attend (the Olympics). However, I was injured, so it was a lucky postponement for me,” Nisikori had said in a recent interview.
“For next year, I think it’s still hard for everyone to feel that way, but when Corona calms down a little more, we all want to aim for the Olympics.”
