Home / Sports / Hijikata Dominates Aussie Rival in Brisbane
Hijikata Dominates Aussie Rival in Brisbane
6 Jan
Summary
- Rinky Hijikata defeated fellow Australian Adam Walton in straight sets.
- The match concluded a streak of five losses for Australian men.
- Hijikata advances to face French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard next.

Rinky Hijikata has advanced to the second round of the Brisbane International, securing the only victory for an Australian man this week. Hijikata, a qualifier, decisively defeated his compatriot and stablemate Adam Walton with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in just 72 minutes. This triumph broke a string of five consecutive losses for Australian players at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
Hijikata, who shares a coach with Walton, displayed superior form, hitting 22 winners to Walton's 14. Walton, ranked 77th, struggled under pressure, winning fewer than half the points on his first serve. This significant win is a highlight for Hijikata, who also holds an Australian Open wildcard.
The young Australian's next challenge will be against the big-serving French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who had previously upset fourth seed Tommy Paul. This victory marks a promising step for Hijikata in the Australian Open lead-in event, following his past successes in reaching the second round at Melbourne Park and the fourth round at the US Open.




