Rika Fujiwara

Profile

Rika Fujiwara is a Japanese former pro tennis player and current pickleball player, born September 19, 1981. In her tennis days she recorded a career-high WTA singles ranking of 84 (August 2005) and doubles ranking of 13 (November 2002). She is right-handed. She also thrived as a member of Japan's Fed Cup team, posting a 23-5 record.

Tennis career

At the 2002 Australian Open she paired with Shinobu Asagoe to reach the doubles quarterfinals. They lost to the team of Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova, but her performance at a Grand Slam drew attention. She thrived at the top level for many years as one of the leading players in Japanese tennis.

Pickleball career

After retiring from tennis she switched to pickleball and reached No. 44 in the world rankings. At her first US pro tournament she pulled off an upset over Salome Devidze. On the PPA Tour Asia she pairs with Nasa Hatakeyama in mixed doubles and thrives on the international stage. She is a PJF (Pickleball Federation of Japan) certified pro.

Play style

Her hallmark is play that makes use of the high-level skill and doubles experience built in tennis. She is especially well regarded for her reading and shot placement in doubles, and her WTA doubles No. 13 pedigree carries over into pickleball.

📎 Reference: Pickleball.com | Wikipedia | PJF