ATP Queen's Club: Rinky Hijikata vs Frances Tiafoe; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction

The clay season ended and the grass season is successfully up and running. With the tennis season heading to the midway, the players will be hoping to get their gears up and running and make the most of the remainder of the season. One of those stars is Frances Tiafoe. After a not-so-good season, the American star is desperate to turn things around and make a bold stance at the ATP Queens Championship.

But, his road to glory won’t be easy at all. Standing his way in the first round will be the Australian rising star Rinky Hijikata. With the stage set for a thrilling encounter, who among the two will make their way into the second round?

Frances Tiafoe vs Rinky Hijikata: Preview

Frances Tiafoe has demonstrated notable strengths and weaknesses in his recent matches. Winning 50% of points on his second serve, Tiafoe shows solid, if not exceptional, performance under pressure, saving 63% of breakpoints. He has secured 48% of his opponent’s second serve return points, a critical factor in match outcomes.

Tiafoe’s overall match win percentage stands at 48% (W/L 13/14), reflecting a balanced record. Notably, he excels on clay courts with a win percentage of 63% (W/L 114/68), though he struggles more on indoor hard courts, achieving only a 53% win rate (W/L 49/43).

Rinky Hijikata has shown competitive statistics in his recent matches. Winning 49% of points on his second serve, Hijikata also excels in returning, winning 51% of second serve return points. His ability to save 64% of breakpoints under pressure is commendable. Hijikata has a slightly lower overall match win rate at 41% (W/L 13/19), highlighting areas for improvement.

He performs best on hard courts with a 64% win rate (W/L 132/74), but struggles on clay, winning only 48% of matches (W/L 20/22). His break point conversion rate stands at 36%, an essential factor for in-play betting analysis.

Tiafoe vs Hijikata: Head-to-head

When it comes to the head-to-head statistics between the two stars, not much separates them. Interestingly, both the stars have faced each other just once in their career and that was the only time when Frances Taifoe managed to lay his hands on the win.

The only time the two players went against each other was back at the 2023 US Open 4th round. Hijikata came into the event as a wildcard and faced the experienced American star. However, he could not pose any threat to Tiafoe and had to compromise in a straight sets defeat. The final scoreline of the match ended 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 in favor of Frances Tiafoe.

Thus, with a 1-0 lead in the head-to-head encounters, Frances Tiafoe will have confidence going into the match, However, Hijikata will be eagerly desperate to level the head-to-head scores. That being said, who among the two has the most chances of clinching the win?

Prediction: Frances Tiafoe could clinch the win and make his way into the next round

Coming into the match, both players will be equally determined to lay their hands on the win. With the experience that Frances Tiafoe has, he could prove to be a strong force in the match and lay his hands on the win. However, with his recent struggles and things not going by his side, his rival could use this as an extra-added advantage and add more misery to an already not-so-good season for the American powerhouse.

But, the odds will be heavily relying on Frances Tiafoe to lay his hands on the win. Who are you backing out in the match? Do let us know in the comments below!