Rinky Hijikata of Australia rallied from a set down to defeat Gael Monfils 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 Thursday in first-round action at the Cincinnati Open, earning his first ATP win on hard courts while giving the French veteran a fitting farewell in what was his final appearance at the tournament.
Hijikata, 25, who played college tennis at North Carolina before turning professional, will face Italian Luciano Darderi in the second round after completing the comeback. The win on hard courts is a meaningful milestone for the Australian, who has shown more of his game on different surfaces over the past two years.
For Monfils, 39, Thursday’s match was his 14th and final appearance at the Cincinnati Open. The Frenchman, who has announced he will retire at the end of 2026, was given a standing ovation from the crowd following the match. His Cincinnati history includes a quarterfinal run in 2011 and a memorable second-round upset of third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in 2024.
Other first-round results
Britain’s Katie Boulter defeated American Katie Volynets 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 to advance to a second-round meeting with Linda Noskova. Boulter was dominant after dropping the first set, winning 12 of the final 16 games.
Cameron Norrie rallied from a set down to defeat Dino Prizmic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, setting up a second-round encounter with top seed and third-ranked Alexander Zverev.
Jack Draper fell 6-3, 7-5 to MartÃn Landaluce in their first career meeting, snapping a six-match losing streak for the Spaniard, who will now face Matteo Arnaldi. Draper, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in June 2025, was playing in just his third tournament since May because of an arm injury that has limited his schedule.
American Taylor Townsend defeated Camila Osorio 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the second round, where she will face second-seeded Elena Rybakina, who won the Toronto title Thursday night.
The tournament’s missing stars and notable additions
The Cincinnati Open lost both top men’s attractions this week, the draw’s biggest names. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both withdrew because of injuries, leaving Aryna Sabalenka as the top seed in the women’s draw and reshuffling the men’s bracket.
Iga Swiatek, seeded seventh, arrived in Cincinnati fresh off her Toronto title victory Thursday and brings current form into a draw that has opened up considerably with Sinner and Alcaraz absent.
Venus and Serena Williams are scheduled to make their first doubles appearance together since the 2022 U.S. Open. The doubles draw is set for Friday.
The Monfils farewell in context
Monfils has been one of the most entertaining players of his generation in Cincinnati and everywhere else, known for athletic shot-making and a performing personality that filled arenas differently than the more reserved champions of his era. His upset of Alcaraz at 37 demonstrated that he remained a threat in his final seasons.
The Cincinnati crowd has seen Monfils at his best and at various stages of his long career, and the standing ovation acknowledged both.
He will continue playing through the end of 2026, which means his farewell tour continues at the remaining events this season.
