By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday, April 27, 2025
This year, Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima has taken the tennis world by storm! On Sunday in Madrid, she made headlines by defeating the third-ranked Jessica Pegula with a commanding score of 6-2, 6-2, advancing to the fourth round.
Uchijima’s striking performance included 21 winners compared to Pegula’s 10, marking her debut in the round of 16 at a 1000-point event.
Discover more about this emerging star from Japan:
She Cracked the Top 100 in 2024
Starting the 2024 season at No.171, Uchijima has soared to No.54 in the live rankings. With an impressive tally of 51 match victories across all levels last year, she made her mark by winning her first two main draw matches at Roland-Garros and the US Open after qualifying.
A highlight of her promising career came when she was honored as the ITF World Tennis Tour Player of the Month for May, following her first-ever Grand Slam match-win at Roland Garros.
Moyuka Uchijima shines with her first top 10 win in a spectacular performance! 🎯#MMOpen pic.twitter.com/co5be0NizC
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 27, 2025
Clay Courts Are Her Playground – Especially in Madrid
Although she didn’t grow up on clay, Uchijima’s love for the surface blossomed after her triumph at an ITF event in Madrid last year. Now, she proudly declares clay as her favorite surface on the WTA website.
A Bright Junior Career
In her junior days from 2018 to 2019, Uchijima may not have been a household name. However, her efforts in four junior Grand Slams included a memorable round of 16 appearance in 2018 at the US Open.
Impressive Upset History
Since February, Uchijima has notched victories against four high-profile players: Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai, Emma Raducanu at Indian Wells, and both Ons Jabeur and Pegula in Madrid. She also took Coco Gauff to a thrilling three-set match at Indian Wells, only falling in a tense third-set tiebreak. Additionally, she faced Mirra Andreeva in a closely contested second-round match at this year’s Australian Open.
