Rinky Hijikata Rallies for 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 Win Over Gael Monfils in Cincinnati

Gael Monfils concluded his 14th and final Cincinnati Open appearance with a three-set loss to Rinky Hijikata on Thursday.

Rinky Hijikata secured his first ATP victory on hard courts by defeating Gael Monfils 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 during the opening round of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday. The 25-year-old Australian, a former collegiate player at North Carolina, overcame a first-set deficit to eliminate the 39-year-old Frenchman. Monfils, who has officially announced his intention to retire from professional tennis at the conclusion of the 2026 season, received a standing ovation from the Cincinnati crowd following the conclusion of the match. Hijikata now advances to the second round to face Italian Luciano Darderi.

This loss marked the 14th and final appearance for Monfils at this specific tournament. His history in Cincinnati includes reaching the quarterfinals in 2011 and a notable second-round upset of world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in 2024. While Monfils exits, other competitors found success in the early bracket. Cameron Norrie also staged a comeback to defeat Dino Prizmic with a score of 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Norrie's victory earns him a second-round match against the tournament's top seed and world No. 3, Alexander Zverev.

Results from the Men’s and Women’s Singles Draws

In the women’s bracket, Britain’s Katie Boulter moved forward after defeating American Katie Volynets 5-7, 6-0, 6-4. Boulter is scheduled to face Linda Noskova in the next stage of the competition. Another American, Taylor Townsend, successfully advanced by overcoming Camila Osorio with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 result. Townsend’s next opponent will be the No. 2 seed, Elena Rybakina. On the men's side, Martín Landaluce ended a six-match losing streak by beating Jack Draper 6-3, 7-5 in their first-ever career meeting. Landaluce moves on to play Matteo Arnaldi.

Jack Draper’s loss comes as he continues his return from an arm injury, with the Cincinnati Open being only his third tournament since May. Draper previously reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in June 2025. The tournament field has seen significant changes due to the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, both of whom are sidelined with injuries. Consequently, Aryna Sabalenka holds the top seed in the women's draw, while Iga Swiatek enters as the seventh seed following her recent title win in Toronto on Thursday.

Upcoming Doubles Action and Tournament Seeding

The Cincinnati Open will feature a highly anticipated doubles return as Venus and Serena Williams are set to compete together for the first time since the 2022 US Open. The official doubles draw is scheduled for Friday. In the singles rankings, the absence of the world's top-ranked male players has shifted the competitive landscape, leaving Zverev as the highest-ranked active player in the men's field. The tournament continues through the week as players vie for the title in the final hard-court preparations of the season.