AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2026

Rinky Hijikata

Press Conference

R. HIJIKATA/A. Mannarino

6-3, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Just give us your thoughts on that one.

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, I mean, I thought I played, yeah, very well today. Yeah, really happy to get another win back at home, at a home slam. You know, yeah, there's nothing better than playing in Melbourne during this time of year. I'm glad that I could, yeah, show some good tennis today and looking forward to the next one.

Q. Not even just today, but this summer it seems like it's coming together for you. Obviously last year was tough. What's changed for you? Is the confidence back up?

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, I don't know, I guess just a lot of hard work, you know. Waltz and I have both been working with Sharky. We had a really big pre-season together.

Even before that, I felt like Playford, at the end of the year, those few challengers, I felt like my form wasn't great kind of the first week or two of those challengers.

Then something clicked a bit in Playford. I felt like I was on the right track again. I felt like I was playing the right brand of tennis. Obviously finishing on a win was great. Putting in a few weeks of really hard work and coming out this year, yeah, I felt like my game was in a good spot. I felt like I was training really well. I'm glad it's paying off.

Q. (Indiscernible) did you feel more comfortable than you have on a Grand Slam court today?

RINKY HIJIKATA: I still feel like the match was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests. I felt like obviously I fought off break points at 2-all in the first. I broke him. And then I fought off another few other break points. So it wasn't smooth sailing in the first set.

In the second set I had two love break points and maybe didn't capitalize there. I felt like I had break points, he held, and then I had game points, and he broke me. I think I was down break points again. It easily could have swung.

I felt like the momentum was maybe shifting a little bit. I think it was important to kind of stop the bleeding there. I felt like I did well to wrestle the momentum back.

Obviously I was happy I could run away with it in the third.

Q. Where do you feel that win ranks it amongst your career? He was a former world no. 17.

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, huge. I mean, I guess, yeah, as I said, I really want to be playing my best tennis here at Melbourne Park. This tournament is pretty special to me. I grew up watching it and watching these Aussies win these classic matches and do well here. So I really want to play my best tennis here.

I think just, yeah, the level of importance of this tournament to me, it felt really good to get a win against a quality opponent like that.

Q. You've had deep runs at Grand Slams before. You must feel comfortable at this level. Who knows what's possible.

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, I feel like the best-of-five format suits me. As I said, we put in a lot of hard work over the pre-season. I am feeling fit. I'm feeling ready. I feel like my game is in a good spot.

Obviously got the home crowd here. It's so much fun playing in. I really want to enjoy that. Yeah, you know, it's obviously very draw-dependent also. Everyone in the draw is very tough. There are some matchups that obviously might be a little harder than others.

That can also, you know, change things in a Grand Slam. You don't know who you are going to be up against first round. Waltz playing Alcaraz the first round. He's playing some good tennis last night, but not many people are going to go out there first round against Carlos.

But I thought Waltz did unbelievably well. If he had a different draw maybe he'd have a run. I guess it is kind of putting yourself in the best position possible and try to take care of your opportunities.

Q. Can I get your view of the Michael Zheng situation with the prize money. With your college background, how would you feel if you were in his position?

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, I think there's maybe a lawsuit in play at the moment. One of the girls at UNC, the college I was at, I think she couldn't take her US Open prize money. Maybe is in a lawsuit at the moment against NCAA.

It's a tough one. I think it's not right if you're a college athlete and get paid a million dollars to do a car commercial, but then you know Michael's out here busting his ass off. He's won three rounds of quallies, he's beaten somebody top 30 in the world, and he can't take his prize money for that. Yeah, I don't know if I agree with that.

I think, you know, especially in a sport like tennis where you have to pay everything yourself, I feel like there should be maybe a bit more of leeway there.

Q. Bigger challenges ahead for you. Have you looked ahead of the draw now?

RINKY HIJIKATA: I think I play Vacherot. I haven't looked at the draw but someone told me.

Q. Do you know much about him?

RINKY HIJIKATA: Yeah, we've played twice. He actually ended my college career. I played him in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament. If I remember right he got me one in the third. We played in Orlando. We played a month later actually at Tunisia at a 15K final. I got him back there. I don't know what it was, but I got him back in the final, so we're 1-all.

Obviously a very different player now, as I think I am. This was a few years ago. And he's playing some bloody good tennis. He's a great guy. Yeah, I'm going to have my work cut out for me. I'll be ready and I'm sure it will be a great match.