Yuta Funemizu

Yuta Funemizu is a 31-year-old professional pickleball player from Tokyo, Japan, and the first Japanese player ever drafted into Major League Pickleball at the Premier Level. Before picking up a paddle, Funemizu was a soft tennis world champion in Japan. He discovered pickleball in 2020 during the pandemic when his tennis tournaments were canceled, and he's been on a mission ever since to become the top-ranked Japanese player on the PPA Tour.

Funemizu signed an exclusive contract with the UPA to compete on the PPA Tour and in MLP, where he plays for the Miami Pickleball Club. His signature "YUTA style" of play draws from his soft tennis background, giving him wicked spin and unique angles that catch opponents off guard. He's faced some of the biggest names in the sport, including Ben Johns and Jack Sock, and continues to climb the rankings. Sponsored by Toray and Diadem, Funemizu is blazing a trail for Japanese players in professional pickleball.