Fasten your seatbelts as the six-time champion will be in action at the 2025 Miami Open! Novak Djokovic is now keen to end his three-match losing streak which started at the 2025 AO, when he retired after losing the first set to Alexander Zverev in the SF. After his shocking exit in the first round of the Indian Wells, the Serb admitted that he is “struggling to play at the desired level.” However, just before starting his campaign at one of his favorite tournaments, Djokovic roared, “I know I still have it.” He believes he still has the game to put him in the best position to win the biggest titles in sport. Can the 24-time Grand Slam champion make a winning start against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the second round (R64) of the Miami Open?
Novak Djokovic vs Rinky Hijikata: Preview
Novak Djokovic is currently chasing his 100th ATP title and this is going to be his first appearance at this tournament after almost six years. Can he break Andre Agassi’s record of winning the Miami Open six times? Time will tell! However, if we take a look at his performance this season, Djokovic’s best result came at the AO where he reached the semis. However, he’ll be entering this contest following his 2-6,6-3,1-6 defeat to the Dutchman, Botic van Zandschulp in the R64 of the Indian Wells.
Aug 28, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Novak Djokovic (SRB) serves against Laslo Djere (SRB)(not pictured) in a men’s singles match on day three of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
His opponent in this match, Rinky Hijikata reached the QF of the Adelaide International earlier this season, but other than that his performance has been pretty poor in the rest of the tournaments. He was defeated by Kazkhstani star, Alexander Bublik by 2-6,7-5,3-6 in the R16 of the Challenge Phoenix, US. Can the Aussie bounce back from that defeat and stun everyone with an impressive performance against one of the most decorated players in this tournament?
Djokovic vs Hijikata: Head-to-Head
Novak Djokovic has crossed paths with this 24-year-old Aussie only once in his career so far. Interestingly, this is going to be their second meeting in this season and the Serb currently leads the H2H record by 1-0.
2025 Brisbane R32: Djokovic 6-3,6-3.
Prediction: Djokovic will this match comfortably in straight sets
There is a lot at stake for Novak Djokovic in this tournament. Currently, he has 44 wins at this tournament and if he wins the title this time then he will also complete 50 wins at the Miami Open. Looking at this vast experience, his record in this tournament, and comparing their form in this season, I feel it should be a cakewalk for the Serb. Djokovic (5) currently has a win-loss record of 7-4 in this season, whereas, it’s just 4-6 for Rinky Hijikata (86).
Interesting Fact: Novak Djokovic has a 409-91 win-loss record at the Masters 1000 events (i.e. he is just one win away from leveling Rafael Nadal’s all-time record of most wins in the Masters 1000 events).
It is very hard to put Djokovic as the second-best on this surface, especially. He is always a real threat on the hard courts. Now, if we take a look at their playing styles, Djokovic is known for his highly adaptable, all-court game characterized by a strong defense, a powerful and precise backhand, excellent footwork, and a relentless return of serve, making him a formidable opponent on any surface. He is a resident counterpuncher who can transform defense into offense very rapidly. His flexibility along with extraordinary reaching ability makes him a real special player on the men’s Tour.
On the other side, Rinky Hijikata is a good ball striker and he can generate a lot of power behind his shots. He is also known for his incredible fighting spirit and all-court game. However, at times he has struggled against powerful ball strikers. So, keeping all these aspects in mind, I don’t Hijikata will cause a lot of trouble for the Serb in this matchup.
The post Miami Open 2025: Novak Djokovic vs Rinky Hijikata; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.