The Aussie duo had the advantage of a highly vocal and supportive local crowd, which cheered every move of theirs. Hijikata and Kubler were hammering returns and had a strong serve games. They won 88 per cent of their points behind their first delivery on their road towards becoming the fift
The three-time Melbourne semifinalist was in command for the entirety of the one-hour, 32-minute matchup with Hijikata. With his aggressive ball-striking, he consistently outmatched the World No. 169, hitting 30 winners on the Rod Laver Arena.