Women’s Tennis Signs Manami Ukita for 2020-21 Campaign
Mar 09, 2020 | Tennis
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State women's tennis coach Jordan Smith announced Monday (March 9) the signing of Manami Ukita (Mah-NAH-Mee Oo-Key-Tah) for the 2020-21 season.
"We are very excited to have Manami join our tennis family," said Smith. "Manami has proven herself to be one of the best junior players in Japan and in the world. She competed at this year's junior Australian Open and won multiple ITF junior titles in 2019. Manami is a person of high character; she has a great work ethic and we expect to see her make an immediate impact on our team next year."
Based out of Saitama, Japan, Ukita has reached as high as No. 147 in the ITF World Junior Rankings while currently holding a universal tennis rating of 10.43. Ukita has had success in both doubles and singles play, combining for seven ITF titles over a two-year span.
While attending Shumei Eiko High School, Ukita studied and learned under current coach Ryo Kashimura, who helped her earn an invitation to the 2019 Junior Australian Open while also pushing her to a No. 2 national ranking in Japan for the U18 division.
For the 2019 spring campaign, Ukita tallied a 27-9 record which included a 75-percent win percentage on hard courts.
Tennis runs wide in Ukita's family as her sister, Yuuna, plays at Weber State.
With the start of Big 12 play this week, K-State will play host to Oklahoma State on Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m., CT, amid the team's current six-match homestand at Mike Goss Tennis Stadium.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
"We are very excited to have Manami join our tennis family," said Smith. "Manami has proven herself to be one of the best junior players in Japan and in the world. She competed at this year's junior Australian Open and won multiple ITF junior titles in 2019. Manami is a person of high character; she has a great work ethic and we expect to see her make an immediate impact on our team next year."
Based out of Saitama, Japan, Ukita has reached as high as No. 147 in the ITF World Junior Rankings while currently holding a universal tennis rating of 10.43. Ukita has had success in both doubles and singles play, combining for seven ITF titles over a two-year span.
While attending Shumei Eiko High School, Ukita studied and learned under current coach Ryo Kashimura, who helped her earn an invitation to the 2019 Junior Australian Open while also pushing her to a No. 2 national ranking in Japan for the U18 division.
For the 2019 spring campaign, Ukita tallied a 27-9 record which included a 75-percent win percentage on hard courts.
Tennis runs wide in Ukita's family as her sister, Yuuna, plays at Weber State.
With the start of Big 12 play this week, K-State will play host to Oklahoma State on Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m., CT, amid the team's current six-match homestand at Mike Goss Tennis Stadium.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
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