Rinky Hijikata

Rinky Hijikata (born 23 February 2001) is an Australian tennis player. Hijikata has a career high ATP singles ranking of World No. 260 achieved on 4 April 2022.

Rinky Hijikata
Hijikata in 2018
Country (sports) Australia
ResidenceSydney, Australia
Born (2001-02-23) 23 February 2001
Sydney, Australia[1]
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record0–1 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 260 (4 April 2022)
Current rankingNo. 260 (4 April 2022)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenQ2 (2020, 2021, 2022)
Doubles
Career record0–0 (at ATP Tour level, Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 340 (7 March 2022)
Current rankingNo. 340 (7 March 2022)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (2022)
Last updated on: 4 April 2022.

Hijikata made his ATP main draw debut at the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set 1, after qualifying for the main draw. He also played doubles with Christopher O'Connell.

Personal life

Hijikata began playing tennis at age three or four. His dad is a tennis coach. His favourite player growing up was Lleyton Hewitt and later, Kei Nishikori.[2]

Career

2018–2020: Career Beginnings

In March 2018, Hijikata made his ITF debut at the Australia F3 in Mornington, Australia. He won his first match the following week at the Australia F4.

In October 2018, Hijikata won silver at the Tennis at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics – Boys' doubles, teaming with Bulgaria's Adrian Andreev.[3]

In January 2019, Hijikata was given a wildcard into the 2019 Australian Open – Men's singles qualifying. He lost in the first round. In March 2019, Hijikata reached the quarter-final and semi-finals in the ITF events in Mornington, Australia.

In September 2019, Hijikata won his first professional singles title at the M15 Fayetteville, in Arizona, United States.[4]

In January 2020, Hijikata was given a wildcard into the 2020 Australian Open – Men's singles qualifying, where he made the second round.

In February 2021, Hijikata was given a wildcard into the 2021 Australian Open – Men's singles qualifying, where he made the second round.

Hijikata won his second and third ITF titles in July 2021 and claimed a total of four ITF Futures singles titles during 2021.

Hijikata finished 2021 with a singles ranking of 369 as of 22 November 2021.

2022: ATP debut and first top 100 win

In January 2022, Hijikata made his ATP tour debut at the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set 1 after qualifying for the main draw. It was also Hijikata's first top 100 win, defeating world number 98 Henri Laaksonen in the final qualifying round.[5] He lost in the first round to eventual finalist, Maxime Cressy.

Hijikata lost in the second round of the 2022 Australian Open – Men's singles qualifying.[6][7]

In April 2022, Hijikata broke into the ATP top 300 after winning consecutive ITF tournaments in California in March 2022.[8]

Awards

In 2018 and 2019, Hijikata won the Newcombe Medal for Male Junior Athlete of the Year.[9]

ATP Challengers and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 9 (7–2)
Legend (singles)
ATP Challenger Tour (0–0)
ITF Futures/World Tennis Tour (7–2)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 September 2019 Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA M15 Hard Nick Chappell 2-6, 6–2, 6-1
Win 2–0 July 2021 Monastir, Tunisia M15 Hard Valentin Vacherot 6-3, 6-1
Win 3–0 July 2021 Edwardsville, Illinois, USA M15 Hard Strong Kirchheimer 6-3, 6-1
Win 4–0 September 2021 Sierre, Switzerland M25 Clay Oliver Crawford 7-6, 6-1
Loss 4–1 October 2021 Setúbal, Portugal M25 Hard Arthur Cazaux 5-7, 0-6
Win 5–1 October 2021 Calabasas, California, USA M25 Hard Tristan Boyer 3-6, 7–6, 6-2
Loss 5–2 February 2022 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic M25 Hard Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-3, 2-6 2–6
Win 6–2 March 2022 Bakersfield, United States M25 Hard Keegan Smith 6–1, 7–5
Win 7–2 March 2022 Calabasas, United States M25 Hard Charles Broom 7–5, 6–2

Doubles: 3 (2–1)

Legend (doubles)
ATP Challenger Tour (0–0)
ITF Futures/World Tennis Tour (2–1)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 July 2021 Monastir, Tunisia M15 Hard Kody Pearson Jacob Brumm
August Holmgren		 5-7 6-7
Win 1–1 October 2021 Loulé, Portugal M25 Hard Mick Veldheer Gonçalo Falcão
Tomás Lipovšek Puches		 6-2, 6–3
Win 2–1 February 2022 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic M25 Hard Henry Patten Hsu Yu-hsiou
Wu Tung-lin		 2–6, 7–6(7–4), [10–3]

References

  1. "Rinky Hijikata Bio at ATP". ATP. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. "GETTING TO KNOW: RINKY HIJIKATA". Tennis Australia. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. "HIJIKATA WINS SILVER AT YOUTH OLYMPIC". Tennis Australia. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  4. "AUSTRALIAN TEEN CELEBRATES FIRST TITLE". ITF. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  5. "HIJIKATA SCORES FIRST TOP-100 WIN TO QUALIFY AT MELBOURNE SUMMER SET". Tennis Australia. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  6. "Fourteen Aussie Men to Contest Australian Open 2022 Qualifying". Tennis Australia. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. "Eight Aussies Ready to Continue Australian Open 2022 Qualifying Quests". Tennis Australia. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. "RANKING MOVERS: SAVILLE, KOKKINAKIS AND KYRGIOS CONTINUE RESURGENCES". Tennis Australia. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  9. "Honour Roll". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 3 January 2022.


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