Shanghai, China, 10 October 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Shanghai, China
Rinky Hijikata is enjoying a memorable doubles run at the Shanghai Masters, where he has advanced to the quarterfinals alongside Brit Cameron Norrie.
The unseeded duo scored a major upset in the second round, eliminating world No.6 Joe Salisbury and world No.5 Rajeev Ram in a thriller.
Hijikata and Norrie saved two match points before edging out a 4-6 7-6(4) [11-9] victory against the reigning US Open champions.
This propels 22-year-old Hijikata into his first quarterfinal at ATP Masters 1000 level.
Matt Ebden and Indian partner Rohan Bopanna are also through to the final eight in Shanghai.
The third seeds posted a 4-6 6-3 [10-8] second-round victory against Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, avenging their loss to the Russian pair in the Madrid final earlier this season.
This thrusts 35-year-old Ebden and 43-year-old Bopanna into their fourth ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the season.
However, Aussie duo Alex de Minaur and Max Purcell, who upset the top seeds in the opening round, couldn’t continue their giant-killing run.
Robin Haase of the Netherlands and Greece’s Stefano Tsitsipas scored a 7-5 3-6 [10-5] victory in their second-round clash.
AUSSIES IN ACTION – Shanghai
RESULTS
Men’s doubles, second round
[4] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) d Karen Khachanov/Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-3 [10-8]
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Cameron Norrie (GBR) d [3] Joe Salisbury (GBR)/Rajeev Ram (USA) 4-6 7-6(4) [11-9]
Robin Haase (NED)/Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) d Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) 7-5 3-6 [10-5]
COMING UP
Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
[4] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [8] Marcelo Arevalo (ESA)/Jean-Julien Rojer (NED)
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Cameron Norrie (GBR) v [5] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG)/Andres Molteni (ARG)
> VIEW: Shanghai Masters men’s doubles draw
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