Hijikata edges Blanch 6-4 7-6 in Winston-Salem opener

Rinky Hijikata came through a tight straight-sets test against Darwin Blanch, winning 6-4 7-6 in the Winston-Salem round of 64. The Australian's steadier platform was the difference: he landed 63.5% of his first serves and won 76.6% of those points, while Blanch found the box just 50% of the time. Blanch was punishing when he did land it, taking 78.8% of first-serve points and striking six aces to Hijikata's four, but he won only 39.4% behind the second delivery against 51.9% for Hijikata. That margin held through the second-set tiebreak and carried Hijikata into the next round.