Rinky Hijikata has been dealt a grand slam actuality examine as Australia’s tennis stars crashed again to earth on the US Open in New York.
Hijikata was no match for Grigor Dimitrov, struggling a 6-1 6-1 7-6 (7-4) thrashing by the hands of the Bulgarian ninth seed to bow out within the second spherical.
Former girls’s quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic and 18-year-old qualifier Maya Joint had been additionally eradicated on day three at Flushing Meadows.
With 10 gamers making the second spherical, Australia’s bumper 20-strong contingent had made their brightest begin to the Open in 45 years.
The boys, particularly, have been on hearth with eight Australians profitable their opening matches for the primary time since 1976 — virtually half a century in the past.
Now they’re right down to seven, with twenty eighth seed Alexei Popyrin given the possibility to save lots of the day later in opposition to Spaniard Pedro Martínez.
Hijikata stormed to the fourth spherical final yr as a wildcard however knew he’d have his work minimize out in opposition to Dimitrov, who’s taking part in his greatest tennis at age 33.
Hijikata, although, couldn’t have imagined profitable solely two video games within the first two units.
The 23-year-old put up extra of a struggle within the third however the one-time world quantity three’s class finally prevailed as Dimitrov gained by way of in two hours and 10 minutes.
Maya Joint was pulled from pillar to submit in opposition to Madison Keys. (Getty Pictures: Sarah Stier)
Tomljanovic misplaced her second-round match 6-3 6-2 to Belgian thirty third seed Elise Mertens, whereas Joint’s breakout grand slam run got here to a halt with a 6-4 6-0 loss to 2017 runner-up Madison Keys.
However with 4 wins at her maiden worldwide slam, Joint is projected to depart New York with a career-high rating of quantity 108 on the earth, up some 27 spots and on monitor to achieve direct entry to the Australian Open in January.
Elsewhere, Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková suffered an early defeat at Flushing Meadows, falling in straight units to Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-4 7-5.
The quantity eight seed gained her second grand slam singles title this summer time, however she did not play any matches after the Paris Olympics.
She acknowledged final week not realizing the place her degree of play was. Seems, it wasn’t ok.
“Profitable Wimbledon is wonderful. It is a terrific, nice, nice outcome, I am very proud about it and the way I used to be in a position to deal with all the pieces there,” mentioned Krejčíková, who hadn’t performed a event on exhausting courts since February.
“I used to be taking part in fairly effectively, undoubtedly higher than within the first match. I feel my sport was bettering, but it surely simply wasn’t sufficient.”
Ruse acquired far more work on the US Open’s exhausting courts whereas taking part in her approach into the primary draw by way of the qualifying event and was higher than Krejčíková on the factors that mattered most.
She fought again from 5-3 down within the second set to win the ultimate 4 video games.
“Barbora, she’s such participant, she’s gained so many matches within the final two years and it is only a dream for me,” mentioned Ruse, a 26-year-old from Romania.
She superior to the third spherical of a slam for the primary time and can play No. 26 seed Paula Badosa, who eradicated American Taylor Townsend 6-3 7-5.
Badosa continued her robust summer time by reaching the third spherical of the for the primary time.
AAP
