Rinky Hijikata’s US Open progress gets its clearest test yet against Felix Auger-Aliassime

Rinky Hijikata ’s latest climb through the ATP and Challenger levels has earned him a brutal but revealing first-round assignment in New York against third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

A test that leaves nowhere to hide Rinky Hijikata has been handed the sort of US Open first round that strips away every soft landing. The Australian will meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in New York, a direct examination of whether his recent progress can translate against one of the tournament’s leading players.

One correction to the planned framing matters: Auger-Aliassime is listed as the No.3 seed in the official draw material, not fourth seed. Either way, the substance of the challenge is unchanged. Hijikata is opening against a player with a Grand Slam semi-final on his résumé and the power to make every short ball feel like an invitation. (atptour.com)

The progress is real, but so is the gap Hijikata arrives with a season that has demanded plenty of work outside the spotlight. The ATP rankings breakdown listed him at No.119 in the year-to-date standings in June, with an 8–18 record at that point, while his career-high remains No.62, reached in August 2024. That profile captures the tension around this match: he has already proved he belongs in major-draw conversations, but he is still trying to turn isolated breakthroughs into a more permanent position at tour level. (atptour.com)

The hard-court swing has supplied encouraging evidence. Hijikata defeated Luciano Darderi in Cincinnati before facing Jakub Menšík, another high-level young opponent, and then reached the round of 32 in Winston-Salem. He was beaten there by Benjamin Bonzi, but the sequence still gave him meaningful matches against players capable of testing his first-strike tennis. The result against Auger-Aliassime will show whether those experiences have sharpened his ability to stay in points when the opponent is hitting with greater weight and serving under less pressure. (reddit.com)

Hijikata’s route to making this uncomfortable The Australian is unlikely to win this match by trying to outgun Auger-Aliassime for two hours. His opportunity lies in making the Canadian play through uncomfortable patterns: extending rallies, changing the height and direction of the ball, and attacking whenever Auger-Aliassime leaves the court open after the first exchange.

That is easier described than executed. Auger-Aliassime’s serve and forehand can compress a game almost instantly, and his recent hard-court form has included a run to the latter stages in Cincinnati before a straight-sets defeat to Frances Tiafoe. He also pushed Novak Djokovic deep at Wimbledon, evidence of the ceiling he can reach when his timing and movement align. (atptour.com)

A measuring stick, not merely a draw nightmare For Hijikata, this is less about pretending the draw is kind and more about finding out how much of the gap has closed. His recent path through qualifying opportunities, tour-level chances and Challenger competition has been about building repeatability. Auger-Aliassime now offers the clearest possible measuring stick.

A competitive performance would matter even without an upset. If Hijikata can protect his service games, drag the Canadian into extended exchanges and create scoreboard pressure, it would show that his development is travelling beyond the lower rungs of the sport. If Auger-Aliassime simply overwhelms him, the lesson will be just as useful: the Australian will know exactly where the next level still demands more.

That is the value of this first round. It is a steep climb, but it is also a clean assessment of Rinky Hijikata’s current place in the game.

Sources Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic in same half of US Open draw | ATP Tour | Tennis Rinky Hijikata | Rankings Breakdown | ATP Tour | Tennis Cincinnati ATP R2: [WC] Rinky Hijikata d. [19] Luciano Darderi, 6-4 6-2 Frances Tiafoe upsets Felix Auger-Aliassime in R4, Fritz joins elite American list in Cincinnati | ATP Tour | Tennis Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic in same half of US Open draw Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev lead men’s singles draw at the 2026 US Open Rinky Hijikata | Rankings Breakdown Frances Tiafoe upsets Felix Auger-Aliassime in R4, Fritz joins elite American list in Cincinnati