A new diamond in the rough for Aussie tennis has been uncovered, with Rinky Hijikata giving Rafael Nadal an almighty scare before eventually going down to the tennis legend at the US Open on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old, who went to the prestigious King’s School in Sydney before moving to the US and starring for the University of North Carolina at college level, won his first set against Nadal, shocking the tennis world.
Playing in his first Grand Slam, the 198th-ranked Hijikata lit up Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York with some electrifying tennis to snatch the opening set, before Nadal pulled out all stops in a pulsating 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3 comeback victory on Tuesday night.
A star is born! Aussie Rinky Hijikata celebrates after winning the first set against Rafael Nadal at the US Open
Rinky Hijikata with girlfriend Lauren Baddour at Wimbledon in July after the Aussie played in qualifiers
Hijikata won high praise from former Aussie tennis start Jelena Dokic, who said he could not have started the game any better.
‘It was the forehand that did so much damage, really taking it on. The court positioning was just razor-sharp, he was ready,’ Dokic said in commentary for Channel 9.
‘The break point at 3-all set the tone for that set but also the pressure to serve it out. Just really unloading on a lot of those forehands. Just the perfect set from Hijikata.’
Rinky Hijikata celebrates winning the first set in his first round US Open loss to tennis legend Rafael Nadal
From the outside it may have appeared to be a nightmare match-up for Hijikata, who only played his first ATP event earlier this year before being handed a US Open wildcard.
But it just meant the exuberant Aussie, who’s father is in fact a tennis coach, lifted to the occasion, before the class of the legendary Nadal won out in the end.
Now unbeaten in 19 grand slam outings in 2022, Nadal entered the tournament under a fitness cloud after withdrawing from his scheduled Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal tear.
The reigning Australian and French Open champion had lost his only match since, to Borna Coric in Cincinnati in three sets two weeks ago.
Rafael Nadal hits a forehand in his first round US Open win
The 22-time grand slam champion again looked vulnerable after Hijikata captured the first set with his inspired first-strike, attacking tennis.
New Yorkers are famous for loving an underdog, as Aussies often are, and the 21-year-old duly whipped the centre-court crowd into a frenzy with his exciting play.
When Hijikata clubbed an airborne forehand winner down the line to bring up set point, the Aussie fist-pumped and waved his arms in triumph after sealing the set with a huge ace down the middle.
It send the crowd wild, and left fans scrambling to find out more information on him and profess their love for his play on social media.
Hijikata’s win in the first was the first time in Nadal’s record-breaking career that he’d lost his opening set at a US Open.
Sadly, Australia’s grand slam rookie quickly learned not to prematurely celebrate against arguably the most ferocious competitor men’s tennis has ever seen.
Rinky Hijikata, who was born and raised in Sydney, and partner Lauren Baddour celebrate Christmas last year
Rafael Nadal celebrates his win at the US Open after losing the first set to Hijikata
After hitting back swiftly to take the second and third sets, Nadal resisted a fierce fightback from Hijikata in the fourth to eventually clinch victory, to great relief, on his fifth match point after three hours and eight minutes of enthralling action.
The two combatants received a standing ovation after the classic encounter.
Had Nadal lost, it would have been, statistically, the worst defeat of the mighty Spaniard’s 1277-match career.
Nadal has won the US Open four times, including three years ago, and will now face in the second round
Rinky Hijikata with long-term girlfriend Lauren Baddour earlier this year
Hijikata, who is seeing long-term girlfriend Lauren Baddour, will know look to add to his Grand Slam appearances and continue to try and make waves on the ATP Tour.
The name Rinky appears to mean ‘regal one/majestic/noble’ if the names.org is anything to go by; so who knows, Australia might just have found its new tennis king.
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