Hijikata's Paris breakthrough run ends in quarter-final to Van Assche
Rinky Hijikata lost 6-4 6-7 7-5 to Luca Van Assche in the Paris Masters quarter-final after defeating Djokovic earlier in the week.
Rinky Hijikata's dream run at the Paris Masters ended Friday when Luca Van Assche beat the Sydney qualifier 6-4 6-7(4-7) 7-5 in a quarter-final. Van Assche is a 22-year-old French rising star.
Hijikata fought back from a set down again, but Van Assche clawed back from 2-0 down in the final set to win in two-and-three-quarter hours. The Australian entered as a qualifier and had beaten Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Djokovic praised him: "He was just playing out of his mind." Hijikata's loss means he'll start next week ranked in the world's top 60, as Australia's number 2 behind Alex de Minaur.
Van Assche advances to the semi-finals where he'll face American Ben Shelton.
- 25
- Hijikata age
- 22
- Van Assche age
- 6-4 6-7 7-5
- Final score
- 2 hours 45 minutes
- Match duration
Why it mattersHijikata broke through to a Masters 1000 quarter-final as a qualifier, a rare feat that shows he's emerged as a genuine title threat on the pro tour.
AustraliaAustralia gains a top-60 player with Van Assche's elimination, boosting Hijikata's seeding and eligibility for premium tournaments and the season-end ATP Finals.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 59 min ago
