Get to Know Moyuka Uchijima, The Rising Japanese Star Who Took out Pegula in Madrid

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday April 27, 2025

Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima has been making massive waves on the tour this yr. On Sunday in Madrid she made her largest splash but, defeating third-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-2 to achieve the fourth spherical.

Uchijima hit 21 winners to simply 10 for Pegula to safe the victory, and attain the spherical of 16 at a 1000 occasion for the primary time.

Discover out extra in regards to the rising Japanese expertise right here:

She Broke into the Prime 100 in 2024

Uchijima was ranked No.171 in the beginning of the 2024 season. Now she’s as much as No.54 within the stay rankings. Uchijima gained 51 matches throughout all ranges in 2024, and gained her first two fundamental draw matches on tour, at Roland-Garros and the US Open, after qualifying.

Uchijima was named ITF World Tennis Tour Participant of the Month for Could after a run that culminated in her first Grand Slam match-win at Roland Garros.

Moyuka Uchijima scores her first profession prime 10 win in a powerful show 🎯#MMOpen pic.twitter.com/co5be0NizC

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 27, 2025

She Loves Clay – and Madrid

“I didn’t develop up enjoying on clay courts however after I gained an (ITF occasion final yr in Madrid), I began to love clay an increasing number of. She cites clay as her favourite floor on the WTA web site.

She Reached No.83 within the Junior Rankings

She wasn’t among the many largest names throughout her junior days of 2018 and 2019. She performed 4 junior Grand Slams with a finest results of spherical of 16 in 2018 on the US Open.

She’s crushed 4 massive names since February

Uchijima has wins over Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai, Emma Raducanu at Indian Wells, in addition to Ons Jabeur and Pegula at Madrid. She additionally took Coco Gauff to a few units at Indian Wells, earlier than falling in a third-set breaker. She additionally misplaced to Mirra Andreeva in a third-set tiebreak, within the second spherical at this yr’s Australian Open.