Rinky Hijikata didn’t just win a set in Brisbane — he seized the moment. With searches for “Hijikata” surging and the Queensland Tennis Centre buzzing, the 24-year-old Australian turned the opening act of his Brisbane International clash into a statement: calm under pressure, sharp on the big points, and brave enough to step into the court when the rally demanded it. In a tournament week where Australian singles hopes have thinned quickly, Hijikata’s first-set burst has become the kind of spark locals love — the one that makes a midweek match suddenly feel like an event.
The matchup itself carried instant intrigue. Hijikata was up against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard — a player whose power can flip a set in minutes and whose name has been trending alongside Hijikata’s. What made the first set compelling wasn’t just that Hijikata took it, but how he did it: by turning a pace-heavy contest into something more textured, forcing extra balls, absorbing the heaviest strikes, and then choosing his moments to strike back. Australian broadcasters captured the swing as Hijikata “took out the first set,” a clip that helped drive the spike in interest as fans scrambled for scores and highlights. Nine’s Brisbane International highlight shows the first-set breakthrough in real time.
So what actually happened in that first set? The simplest explanation is that Hijikata made the match feel uncomfortable for a player who thrives on rhythm. When Mpetshi Perricard is landing first serves and ripping early forehands, opponents can spend whole games reacting. Hijikata’s best passages came when he refused to be pinned behind the baseline. He mixed in earlier contact points, redirected pace, and stayed disciplined in the neutral exchanges long enough to earn chances — the kind of pressure that doesn’t always show up in a single highlight, but changes the temperature of the set.
The crowd factor mattered too. Brisbane has a particular energy when an Aussie gets momentum: it’s not just noise, it’s timing — roars at the right moment, a collective inhale before a big second serve, that sudden lift after a long rally. Those edges can tighten an opponent’s margins, especially against a player trying to swing freely. Hijikata used that energy in the most professional way: he didn’t chase spectacular winners at the wrong times. Instead, he kept the scoreboard moving, trusted his patterns, and let the pressure build on the other side of the net.
This first-set win also landed in a larger Brisbane storyline. Hijikata has been carrying the men’s singles flag for Australia this week, and he earned that position with a clinical straight-sets win over fellow Australian Adam Walton (6-3, 6-2). That result left him as the last Australian man standing in singles, and it sharpened the spotlight on every point he plays from here. Tennis Australia’s recap captured the context around his run, while Australian reporting noted the Walton win as the one that kept Australia’s men’s hopes alive in the draw.
The other reason the first set felt significant is timing. Brisbane is not just “a tournament.” It’s a hard-court marker right before the Australian Open, a place where confidence can compound quickly. Players don’t need to win the title here to carry something important into Melbourne — sometimes they just need a set like this, against a dangerous opponent, where their identity holds up under spotlight. If you’re Hijikata, taking the first set against a big-hitting threat is proof that your plan works when it matters.
For fans who jumped in mid-match and wondered why “Hijikata” was suddenly everywhere: this is exactly why. A trending surge often begins with a turning point — a break, a hold under pressure, a stretch where the underdog starts dictating. Once the first set was secured, the conversation naturally expanded beyond Brisbane: people looked up his recent results, his ranking movement, and what a win here could mean. Official score tracking and match data can be followed via the ATP Tour scores hub, where Brisbane match listings sit alongside the rest of the tour calendar.
What comes next is the part Brisbane always tests: can you repeat the clarity? Winning a first set is one thing; backing it up against a player who can reset with a serving burst is another. But even before the final result is written, that first-set performance has already done its job. It has reminded Australia — and plenty of curious tennis fans overseas — that Hijikata isn’t just “an Aussie in the draw.” He’s a player with a measured game, the nerve to compete in fast conditions, and the kind of momentum that can turn a January week into a real narrative.
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Written by Swikriti
