Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Rinky Hijikata Preview & Prediction | 2026 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship | First Round

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Aleksandar Kovacevic plays Rinky Hijikata in the first-round of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Ranking points: ATP 250

Start date/time:

Venue: River Oaks Country Club, Houston, USA

Surface: Outdoor clay

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Rinky Hijikata ticket information

Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Rinky Hijikata prediction

Aleksandar Kovacevic was unable to make it through Miami qualifying as he lost to Rei Sakamoto in three sets. He fared much better at Indian Wells, defeating Hubert Hurkacz and Corentin Moutet in straight sets to make the third-round. He then went up against Novak Djokovic and showed plenty of fight to take the match into a deciding set, ultimately going down in three. He began the season with a semi-final appearance in Brisbane, and that remains his best result of the season. Kovacevic advanced to the quarter-finals of this event last year.

Rinky Hijikata also failed to reach the main draw in Miami, though he did impress at Indian Wells by reaching the round-of-16 as a qualifier. The Australian won five straight matches, including a fantastic win over Alexander Bublik, before his run was ended by Cameron Norrie. 

Kovacevic leads the head-to-head 3-1, but this is their first encounter on clay. Hijikata will look to grind away and force his opponent into errors when the rallies are extended, but Kovacevic should be able to go on the offensive.

Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Rinky Hijikata tip: Both players to win a set