Doubles Quarterfinals
Rinky Hijikata (Australia) / Kaito Uesugi def. Hugo Nys (Monaco) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) [3], 6-4, 6-4

■ Uesugi teamed up with Hijikata, who won the men’s doubles title at the 2023 Australian Open. In the first set, they broke serve in the fifth game and held on to take the set. In the second, they broke again in the seventh game, bringing Uesugi to the service line at 5-4. He lost the opening point on a volleying error, but with help from a couple of errors by their opponents, he was able to play aggressively and close out the match with two service winners. “Honestly, I was nervous in that game and lost the first point, but their errors helped me, and I was able to play with confidence,” Uesugi said, looking back on his final service game.

■ Uesugi had originally been scheduled to partner with Takeshi Yuzuki (IKAI). However, Yuzuki was unable to compete after injuring his abdominal muscles while playing in the Davis Cup, and Uesugi was paired with Hijikata instead. Uesugi often finds himself playing a volley-versus-groundstroke role in doubles, but he said, “Because he plays so steadily from the back, I can move freely at the net. Even if I get passed, knowing that there’s a Grand Slam champion behind me is reassuring.” Hijikata also spoke about their chemistry: “He puts so much pressure on our opponents with his volleys, so it makes things pretty easy for me. His presence at the net is huge.”

■ This is Uesugi’s sixth appearance at the tournament. By defeating the defending champions, he has reached the semifinals for the first time. “Being able to team up with Rinky made this year feel different from usual. Every year, my mindset was basically, ‘Let’s win the first round.’ But this year, even before the tournament started, I was thinking that we should go for the title. That goal is gradually taking shape, one match at a time.” Uesugi said he had been extremely nervous in the first round, but added, “Rinky was smiling and enjoying himself throughout the match, and that rubbed off on me, so I was able to enjoy playing as well. I want to keep enjoying playing with Rinky from here on.”

(Japan Tennis Association)