Rinky Hijikata secured a notable victory in his debut clay-court match at an ATP Tour event by defeating fifth-seed Christopher Eubanks in the first round of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship. The match, which took place on Monday night, saw Hijikata emerge victorious with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) scoreline, featuring two tiebreaks.
Reflecting on his performance, Hijikata acknowledged the challenge posed by Eubanks, stating, 'Just managed to get through there. It wasn't looking good for a while.' He highlighted Eubanks' consistency on first serves and expressed relief at being able to stay in the match and deliver crucial points when needed. The Australian player, currently ranked 80th in the ATP rankings, showcased his prowess by winning an impressive 79% of his first-serve points.
