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WTA Osaka — Sorana Cirstea vs Moyuka Uchijima
🧠 Form & Context
Sorana Cirstea (ROU, #58, 35y, 176 cm, right)
- 2025: 25–18 overall | 21–12 on hard
- Asian swing: Beijing R2 (l. Muchova), Wuhan R2 (l. Zhang S.).
- Summer highlight: Cleveland champion (d. Xinyu Wang in F); also beat Uchijima 6–4, 6–1 there.
- H2H: 1–0 vs Uchijima (Cleveland ’25).
Moyuka Uchijima (JPN, #91, 24y, 171 cm, right)
- 2025: 24–29 overall | 15–18 on hard
- Asian swing: Wuhan Q→R2 (d. Wang X.; l. Gauff 0–6, 1–6).
- Peak run: Madrid QF with wins over Jabeur, Pegula & Alexandrova.
- Home event boost in Osaka.
🔍 Match Breakdown
First-strike edge: Cirstea’s flat, early-taking forehand pins opponents and shortens points—exactly what worked in Cleveland.
Uchijima’s path: Extend rallies, add height/shape, and keep a high first-serve % to avoid Cirstea feasting on second serves.
Momentum vs venue: Recent form leans Cirstea; Osaka crowd could lift Uchijima, but she’s had sharp drop-offs against elite hitters in 2025.
Keys: Cirstea to protect serve and attack seconds; Uchijima to stretch exchanges and use width to test Cirstea’s movement.
🔮 Prediction
Cirstea’s cleaner first-strike patterns and fresh H2H read tilt this toward the Romanian, though a tight passage is plausible if Uchijima makes it physical.
Pick: Cirstea in two sets.
📊 Tale of the Tape
| Metric | Sorana Cirstea | Moyuka Uchijima |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking | #58 | #91 |
| Age / Hand / Height | 35 / Right / 176 cm | 24 / Right / 171 cm |
| 2025 Record | 25–18 | 24–29 |
| 2025 Hard | 21–12 | 15–18 |
| Asia Swing Notes | Beijing R2; Wuhan R2 | Wuhan Q→R2 (d. Wang X.) |
| H2H | Cirstea leads 1–0 (Cleveland ’25, 6–4 6–1) | |
| Primary Edge | Flat FH first-strike, ROS on 2nd | Rally extension, change of height/shape |
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