Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima won her US Open tennis debut on Monday, defeating Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the women’s singles.

Uchijima, currently the top-ranked Japanese woman in the world at No. 64, converted only 46 percent of her break point chances, compared to 71 percent for 111th-ranked Korpatsch. However, she managed 25 of 17 winners at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

“To be honest, my performance wasn’t good,” said the 23-year-old. “But I think I can be satisfied that I made it to the next round and won my first match at the US Open.”

Moyuka Uchijima of Japan faces Tamara Korpatsch of Germany in the first round of the women’s singles tennis match at the U.S. Open in New York on Aug. 26, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Uchijima, whose father is Japanese and mother is Malaysian, made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open last year and won the French Open for the first time this year.

In the men’s first round, Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka had to retire at the beginning of the fifth set against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic due to cramps as he showed signs of discomfort in his left thigh.

World number one Nishioka retired after 3 hours and 36 minutes against his 54th ranked rival, who was leading narrowly 7-6(2), 2-6, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0.

Nishioka, who reached the round of 16 at both the Australian Open and the French Open last year, last won at the US Open in 2019.

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