Hijikata rallies past Monfils at Cincinnati Open

Rinky Hijikata produced a strong comeback at the Cincinnati Open on 13 August 2026, defeating Gael Monfils 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in the opening round. The Australian lost the first set before levelling the match in a tight second-set tie-break, then completed the turnaround by taking the deciding set 6-3. Hijikata finished with two sets won to Monfils’ one, with the match lasting 2 hours, 31 minutes and 48 seconds. The result sends the Australian through to the next round of the Cincinnati tournament after a composed recovery from a difficult start.