Malaika Rapolu

Malaika Rapolu (born April 18, 2003) is an American professional tennis player. She has career-high rankings of No. 480 in singles, achieved on June 9, 2025, and of No. 798 in doubles, achieved on May 5, 2025.

Malaika Rapolu

Country (sports)	United States
Born	(2003-04-18) April 18, 2003 (age 22) Cedar Park, Texas, US
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
College	Texas
Prize money	US$27,490
Singles
Career record	68–42
Career titles	3 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 480 (June 9, 2025)
Current ranking	No. 490 (July 28, 2025)
Doubles
Career record	23–19
Career titles	2 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 798 (May 5, 2025)
Current ranking	No. 988 (July 28, 2025)
Last updated on: July 28, 2025.

Early life

Rapolu was born in Cedar Park, Texas.^[1][2] She began playing tennis at the age of seven, coached by her father, Madhuker.^[3] She attended Round Rock High School and was later homeschooled.^[2]

College career

In April 2020, she committed to play collegiate tennis for the Texas Longhorns.^[2] She played her final season in 2024.^[1][4]

Professional career

In October 2024, she won back-to-back $15k titles in Huamantla. The following month, she won the $40k H-E-B Women's Pro Tennis Open in Austin as a wildcard. With her title in Austin, she rose 245 places in the WTA rankings to a career-high of No. 564 on November 18, 2024.^[5]

In February 2025, she made her WTA Tour debut as a wildcard at the ATX Open, but lost in the first round to Nuria Párrizas Díaz.^[6][7]

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 4 (3 titles, 1 runner-up)

Legend W50 tournaments (1–0) W15 tournaments (2–1)

Finals by surface Hard (3–1)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1–0	Oct 2024	ITF Huamantla, Mexico	W15	Hard	Dasha Plekhanova	7–6(3), 7–5
Win	2–0	Oct 2024	ITF Huamantla, Mexico	W15	Hard	Yuliana Monroy	7–6(3), 6–2
Win	3–0	Nov 2024	ITF Austin, United States	W50	Hard	Karina Miller	6–4, 6–2
Loss	3–1	Mar 2025	ITF Trois-Rivières, Canada	W15	Hard (i)	Emily Appleton	3–6, 6–3, 3–6

Doubles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Legend W15 tournaments (2–2)

Finals by surface Hard (2–2)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Partner	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Jun 2023	ITF San Diego, United States	W15	Hard	Anita Sahdiieva	Kimmi Hance Tian Fangran	6–3, 1–6, [9–11]
Loss	0–2	Jun 2023	ITF San Diego, United States	W15	Hard	Anita Sahdiieva	Sara Daavettila Katherine Hui	6–7(4), 4–6
Win	1–2	Jul 2024	ITF Lakewood, United States	W15	Hard	Anita Sahdiieva	Carolyn Ansari Gabriella Broadfoot	6–4, 2–6, [10–8]
Win	2–2	Oct 2024	ITF Huamantla, Mexico	W15	Hard	Liisa Varul	Claudia Sofía Martínez Solís María Fernanda Navarro Oliva	7–6(4), 4–6, [10–7]