New York, USA, 27 August 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Rinky Hijikata knows how to produce his best tennis on the Grand Slam stage, as he is demonstrating once again at this year’s US Open.

The 23-year-old Australian recorded a hard-fought 7-6(1) 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory today against dangerous world No.59 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the opening round of the men’s singles competition.

“This is what you dream of,” Hijikata told Stan Sport after the match. “I feel like I’ve played some really good tennis at this tournament before and obviously had a great run last year, so I feel comfortable here.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work this year and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, so to come out here and put in a performance like that, I’m pretty proud of myself.”

Davidovich Fokina has been ranked as high as world No.21 and has twice progressed to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows. However, in a see-sawing encounter that lasted three hours and 17 minutes, Hijikata wore his higher-ranked opponent down with his relentless pressure.

“When he’s on, he’s pretty much unplayable,” Hijikata said of the 25-year-old Spaniard. “He’s probably one of the most explosive guys on tour, he’s very quick.

“He’s not an easy guy to come up against first up, so I knew I was going to have to play well to get through.”

Hijikata calmly saved four set points, two in the 10th game and a further two in the 12th, before blitzing his way through an opening-set tiebreak.

He proved composed under pressure once again in the fourth set, where he fought back from a 1-3 deficit.

“I’m proud of the way I fought through,” said Hijikata, who won the final five games of the match to add to an already impressive US Open record.

Hijikata first made the world take notice during his Grand Slam main-draw debut at Flushing Meadows in 2022, when he memorably extended then-world No.3 Rafael Nadal to four sets during the opening round in an Arthur Ashe Stadium night match.

Last year, Hijikata defeated three higher-ranked opponents to charge into the US Open fourth round as No.110-ranked wildcard.

Returning this year at a career-high ranking of world No.62, Hijikata now faces a daunting second-round challenge. He will look to record his career-first top-10 win when he plays world No.9 Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the third round.

“As always, I’ll just compete as hard as I can,” Hijikata said.

Earlier today, Alexei Popyrin made an impressive start to his US Open campaign, scoring a comprehensive victory against Korean Soonwoo Kwon.

> READ: Popyrin powers into second round at US Open 2024

Hijikata and Popyrin are among an extraordinary 12 Australians in this year’s US Open men’s singles draw, our highest representation in 45 years.

Aussies in action – US Open

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[28] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) 7-5 6-2 6-3
Rinky Hijikata (AUS) d Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-6(1) 3-6 6-4 6-3
Alexandre Muller (FRA) d Adam Walton (AUS) 3-6 7-6(7) 6-3 6-4

Women’s singles, first round
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) d [Q] Ann Li (USA) 6-4 6-4
[Q] Maya Joint (AUS) d Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-4 7-5
[2] Aryna Sabalenka d [Q] Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-3 6-3
[24] Donna Vekic (CRO) d [Q] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-4 6-4

> READ: Maya Joint makes major breakthrough at US Open 2024

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
[10] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Marcos Giron (USA)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Constant Lestienne (FRA)
James Duckworth (AUS) v [31] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [11] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
Chris O’Connell (AUS) v [26] Nicolas Jarry (CHI)
Max Purcell (AUS) v Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)
[Q] Li Tu (AUS) v [3] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
[WC] Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) v Taro Daniel (JPN)

Men’s singles, second round
[28] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Pedro Martinez (ESP)
Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v [9] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)

> VIEW: US Open 2024 men’s singles draw

Women’s singles, first round
Daria Saville (AUS) v [Q] Ena Shibahara (JPN)
[Q] Arina Rodionova (AUS) v Wang Xinyu (CHN)
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) v [25] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
[Q] Destanee Aiava (AUS) v [4] Elena Rybakina (KAZ)

Women’s singles, second round
[Q] Maya Joint (AUS) v [14] Madison Keys (USA)
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [33] Elise Mertens (BEL)

> VIEW: US Open 2024 women’s singles draw

> READ: Ten Australians to contest doubles at US Open 2024

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