On a day when Australians Chris O’Connell and Jordan Thompson both won their first-round matches on Centre Court at the Adelaide International, Sydney’s Rinky Hijikata couldn’t quite make a trio when he fell to England’s Dan Evans in the prime-time night slot.
Evans, 11 years older at age 33, prevailed 6-3, 6-4 in 98 minutes against Hijikata, his evening all about economy and getting the job done as quickly as possible. He will sleep well – this was as accomplished a tournament starter as you could wish for.
“It was a tough match,” said Evans. “Rinky played some good tennis, he was very aggressive. It’s hard playing an Aussie in his actual country.
“It was my first match of the year and a good match to be part of. The crowd was very fair as well.”
As per Monday evening with the Thanasi Kokkinakis and Dusan Lajovic minor classic, the match began shortly before 9pm and before a full house once more.
Evans looked sprightly and zoned in from the off, cracking winners from all around the court with ease. At world No.40, he is ranked 30 places higher than Hijikata but the gap felt far wider.
Hijikata, who heads to Melbourne as the defending AO men’s doubles champion, could learn a lot from the ruthless manner in which Evans comported himself all night, utilising power, speed, touch and guile when called for.
He looks a seriously hard nut too and played like it with a superlative performance.
Hijikata’s favourite superhero is Spider Man, according to his official ATP bio, but it would have called for Super Man to get him out of this. He rallied well in the second set, which was a generally tight affair until consecutive double faults from Hijikata at 4-4 and 30-30 effectively handed Evans the match.
The Australian saved one match point, but the oldest man in the draw was safely through when Hijikata netted after a long rally.
It adds to Evans’ solid recent record against Australian players; he beat Alex de Minaur in the UK in the Davis Cup Group Finals in September with ease.
He has not played since Vienna in October courtesy of a calf injury and the break has apparently done him the world of good.
“It was challenging to get injured at the end of last year,” said Evans. “It took a while to heal and I was a little bit nervous out on the court that it would go again.”
He has won an ATP 250 title in Australia before (Melbourne in 2021) and is a strong outsider should the top seeds fall early. The uber-talented Alexander Bublik is next in line for Evans in the fourth match on Court 2 tomorrow.
“We played here a few years ago,” said Evans, who won that encounter in two sets. “I expect a good match.”