Hijikata's Queen's Comeback
Australian Qualifier Rinky Hijikata Stages Epic Comeback to Upset Second Seed at Queen's Club
Key Points
The comeback lasted nearly three hours: Hijikata’s 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) win took “two hours and 45 minutes” (reported as a “two-hour-and-49-minute” marathon).
Key turning points included break-point swings: after Lehecka grabbed an early break, Hijikata “defend[ed] two more break points” shortly after; later, Hijikata failed to convert “two break points” in the first set before forcing the decider.
Hijikata’s form heading into the upset was built through qualifiers and early grass success: he won two qualifying matches (“Dino Prizmic and Marcos Giron”), then beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-4 in the first round to extend his grass-court winning streak to five matches.
Lehecka entered the match with strong recent pedigree but struggled to close: he was “the tournament runner-up last year,” coming off a “semifinal run the previous week,” and his recent record in deciding tiebreaks was described as “three losses in his last five matches” when pushed to a decider.
Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata pulled off a stunning upset at the Queen's Club Championships on Wednesday, defeating second seed Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) in a match that lasted two hours and 49 minutes. beIN Sports ranked Hijikata 92 places below the Czech star heading into the match, making the victory one of the biggest of his career.
The win puts Hijikata into Saturday's quarterfinals. It also means Australia will have two players in the last eight, joining top seed Alex de Minaur. Hijikata said the match was tight from start to finish: "There was only a point or two difference," he told Tennis Australia.
Hijikata Fights Back From Early Breaks in Each Set
Lehecka made life hard from the very first game. He broke Hijikata early in both the first and second sets. Hijikata later admitted, "I went down an early break in both the first and second sets," Tennis Australia reported. But each time, the 25-year-old dug in and refused to fold.
Hijikata saved 5 of 8 break points across the match. He failed to convert two break points of his own in the first set but eventually forced a third set. The deciding tiebreak went to 9-7, with Lehecka racking up 41 unforced errors, according to Irish Sun. Hijikata closed it out on his fourth match point.
Lehecka's Tiebreak Troubles Prove Costly Again
Lehecka entered the match as the heavy favorite. He was the Queen's Club runner-up in 2025 and had just made a semifinal run the week before. But a pattern of poor tiebreak play has followed him this season. He had lost three of his last five matches when pushed to a deciding tiebreak, Radio Times noted.
The LTA noted a key tactical shift in the match. Hijikata increased his "Time in Attack" from 18% in the first set to 26% in the second and third sets. His conversion score in those final two sets was 72%, above the tournament average of 68%. That pressure wore Lehecka down when it mattered most.
Hijikata's Grass Form Built Through Qualifying and Giant-Killing
Hijikata did not even start the week in the main draw. He won two qualifying matches, beating Dino Prizmic and Marcos Giron, to earn his place. He then beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-4 in the first round, according to news.ssbcrack.com. The Lehecka win stretched his grass-court winning streak to five matches.
His grass confidence goes back further. In 2024, Hijikata reached the Queen's quarterfinals as a qualifier by beating Frances Tiafoe and Matteo Arnaldi. Earlier in 2026, he beat World No. 10 Alexander Bublik at Indian Wells — his first career win over a Top 10 player — before losing to Cameron Norrie, au.headtopics.com reported.
Australia Surges Into Quarterfinals as Ranking Boost Awaits
The win is a big moment for Hijikata's career. His live ranking jumped 22 spots, from No. 104 to No. 82, likely earning him direct entry into future ATP 500 events, Tennis Australia reported. It is also his 8th career ATP quarterfinal.
Hijikata will face either Hamad Medjedovic or Ugo Humbert in the quarterfinals. Their match was suspended due to darkness after two sets were split. He leads Medjedovic 1-0 in head-to-heads but has never faced Humbert. Tommy Paul also advanced, beating Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, according to au.headtopics.com.
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