At 44, Rika Fujiwara shows no signs of slowing down. The former tennis star enjoyed a glittering career, reaching the French Open women’s doubles semifinals in 2002 and climbing to a career-high world doubles ranking of No. 13. But when the Covid-19 pandemic brought global sports to a halt, Fujiwara discovered an unlikely second act.
She picked up a pickleball paddle and found a new lease on her sporting life.
It took Fujiwara two years to fully adapt to life on the circuit. But heading into the 2026 season, she has emerged as one of the tour’s standout players. The Japanese veteran has already claimed back-to-back titles, winning the Macau Open in May before capturing the crown in July.
Known for her fearless drives, energetic presence on the court, and trademark two-handed backhand, Fujiwara has leveraged her tennis pedigree to establish herself as one of the most consistent and formidable players on the Asian pickleball circuit.
Bringing relentless intensity to her game, Fujiwara overwhelms opponents with a barrage of crisp groundstrokes while holding her ground at the baseline. At 44, she has proved that age is little more than a number, fearlessly taking the fight to opponents decades younger.
At the Macau Open, where she reached her first PPA Tour Asia final, Fujiwara squared off against Ken Tam, a player half her age, in the title clash. Unfazed by the age gap, the Japanese veteran cruised to an emphatic straight-game (11-4, 11-4) win to claim her maiden PPA Tour Asia crown.
A comeback for the ages
Last week, at the Tokyo Open, playing in front of her home crowd, she did the unthinkable. Up against Vietnam’s Pei-Chuan Kao, Fujiwara stood on the brink of defeat, trailing 5-10 in the decider. The Arena Tachikawa Tachihi watched the match in disbelief. Japanese fans are not accustomed to seeing a struggling Fujiwara, a player who represented Japan for 11 years as a member of the national team and also won the All Japan Tennis Championships.
But Fujiwara’s fighting spirit soon came to the fore. Like a caged tigress unleashed, she raised the intensity of her game, attacking every ball with renewed purpose and refusing to concede an inch to Pei. The Chinese Taipei player appeared rattled by Fujiwara’s unwavering resolve as the momentum began to shift, even though a comeback still seemed an improbable prospect.
For most of the deciding game, Pei held a firm grip on the contest and stood just a point away from winning the title. The mood inside Arena Tachikawa Tachihi turned sombre as Japanese fans braced for defeat. But Fujiwara, a seasoned veteran of countless battles on the tennis court, refused to quit. She stayed composed, stretched Pei across the court, and forced a string of uncharacteristic errors.
Within minutes, Fujiwara erased the 5-10 deficit and snatched the third game 12-10 and the . The crowd at Arena Tachikawa Tachihi rose to its feet, celebrating the home favourite’s extraordinary comeback with thunderous applause.
Fujiwara is now on an eight-match winning streak in PPA Tour Asia women’s singles and has firmly established herself among the best in the field. With the PPA Tour Asia gearing up for the Singapore Open, Ho Chi Minh City Open, Kuala Lumpur Cup, and Hong Kong Slam, Fujiwara will look to finish the season on a high and make 2026 a true breakthrough year.