Uniqlo Readies Nishikori Apparel

Written by: Staff on 14th February 2012

Japan’s Kei Nishikori announced on Monday that his Uniqlo gear will go on sale later this year. Nishikori, who became the first Japanese male to reach the Australian Open quarters in 80 years last month, has received a torrent of publicity. Last weekend, he also led his team in Davis Cup competition in a much watched first round World Group match against Croatia, although Japan lost.

The Japanese company Fast Retailing produces the Uniqlo casual wear line and has retail outlets throughout Japan as well as in the UK, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, France, Singapore and Russia plus the United States.

Masahide Sakamoto, a Uniqlo adviser who travels with Nishikori, recently told Bloomberg that Uniqlo is getting “a lot of requests, more than ever” from consumers seeking to buy the shirts, shorts and hats Nishikori wears.

A Uniqlo endorsement proposal beat out one from adidas.

Somewhat surprisingly the electronics giant Sony let a deal with Nishikori expire last November, even though the previously injured young player had begin to play well again and finished the season at a career high No. 25.

It is unclear whether Uniqlo will eventually develop a Kei Nishikori line, but the clothes that are about to be sold are tennis wear, including warm up suits, polo shirts, dry-ex shorts and playing shirts, sweat bands, socks and his unique head band. They are all in the red and white colors of Japan.