Kei Nishikori most marketable player in tennis

Kei Nishikori is the most marketable tennis player in the world, according to a recent report by SportsPro. The Japanese superstar – who was knocked out of the French Open yesterday – heads a list of six tennis players in total.

The news may come as a surprise to many, who would assume that the likes of Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafa Nadal would be head and tails above the competition. However, the SportsPro list takes little heed of star power.

Instead, they analyse the ‘value for money’ of athletes around the globe. This involves looking at their age, their home market, charisma, willingness to be marketed and crossover appeal.

NBA player Steph Curry heads the list, with Juventus footballer Paul Pogba in second and cricketer Virat Kohli in third.

Soccer boasts the most number of athletes on the list (eight), followed by golf (seven) and then tennis (six). Nishikori leads the tennis charge, with Garbine Muguruza next (No.14 on the list) and Novak Djokovic third (No.23).

Special mention is made of Sania Mirza’s re-emergence (No.43). The Indian superstar has enjoyed a resurgence in both form and marketability after her standout doubles success with Martina Hingis.

The tennis players appear on the SportsPro list as follows:
6. Kei Nishikori
14. Garbiñe Muguruza
23. Novak Djokovic
39. Eugenie Bouchard
43. Sania Mirza
47. Nick Kyrgios