Rinky Hijikata Height, Weight, Age, Girlfriend, Education, Biography

Rinky Hijikata Quick Info
Height5 ft 10 in
Weight72 kg
Date of BirthFebruary 23, 2001
Zodiac SignPisces
GirlfriendLauren Baddour

Rinky Hijikata is an Australian professional tennis player who is adept at both the singles and the doubles formats of the sport having been rated as high as world number 119 in singles in February 2023 and world number 35 in doubles in January 2023, as per the official ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings. At Grand Slam tournaments, in the singles format, he had reached the 2nd round of the 2023 Australian Open. Rinky stunned the world in January 2023 when he won the men’s doubles event at the Australian Open.

Born Name

Rinky Hijikata

Nick Name

Rinks

Sun Sign

Pisces

Born Place

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Residence

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Nationality

Australian nationality

Education

Rinky had attended The King’s School, Parramatta, an independent Anglican, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of his hometown of Sydney.

After his high school graduation, he joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. There, he played for the North Carolina Tar Heels college tennis team and earned ‘All-American’ honors as a sophomore.

Occupation

Professional Tennis Player

Family

  • Father – Makoto Hijikata (Tennis Coach)
  • Mother – Junko Hijikata
  • Siblings – Shori Hijikata (Swimmer), Kamiyu Hijikata (Swimmer)

Plays

Right-Handed (Two-Handed Backhand)

Turned Pro

2021

Build

Athletic

Height

5 ft 10 in or 178 cm

Weight

72 kg or 158.5 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Rinky has dated –

  • Lauren Baddour (2021-Present)
  • Race / Ethnicity

    Asian

    He is of Japanese descent.

    Hair Color

    Dark Brown

    Eye Color

    Light Brown

    Sexual Orientation

    Straight

    Distinctive Features

    • Toned physique
    • Short-cropped, center-parted hair
    • Affable smile
    • Clean-shaven look

    Brand Endorsements

    He has been sponsored by –

    • Fila Holdings Corp. (sportswear manufacturer based in South Korea)
    • Yonex Co., Ltd. (Japanese sports equipment manufacturing company)

    Rinky Hijikata Favorite Things

    • Tennis Shot – Forehand
    • Tennis Surface – Hard Court
    • Tennis Tournament/Event – Australian Open
    • Tennis Idols/Role Models – Lleyton Hewitt, Kei Nishikori
    • Cities On The ATP Tour – Melbourne, Sydney
    • Sports – Tennis, Soccer, Rugby, Basketball, Swimming, Golf
    • Sports Team – Parramatta Eels (Rugby League)
    • Athlete – Dan Carter (Rugby Union)
    • Cuisine – Japanese
    • Food – Ice Cream
    • Comic Book Superhero – Spider-Man
    • Movie – Inception (2010)
    • TV Series – Suits (2011-2019)
    • Actress Margot Robbie
    • Musician – Khalid

    SourceATP Tour, Wikipedia

    Rinky Hijikata Facts

  • Rinky began playing tennis in his backyard when he was about 4 years old. He also used to compete in soccer, rugby, and swimming during his childhood and youth. He got trained in surf lifesaving as well, for about 2 years. At the youth tier, in tennis, he had achieved a peak world ranking of number 9.
  • At the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, representing an IOC (International Olympic Committee) Mixed-NOC (teams consisting of athletes representing different National Olympic Committees) team, he won the ‘Silver’ medal in the boys’ doubles event.
  • In both 2018 and 2019, Rinky won the Newcombe Medal in the category of ‘Best Male Junior Athlete’. The Newcombe Medal, presented annually since 2010, recognizes the performances/achievements of the Australian tennis fraternity. It is named after Australian tennis legend John Newcombe.
  • In October 2022, Rinky won his maiden title on the ATP Challenger Tour, a series of international men’s professional tennis tournaments that serve as the 2nd-highest tier of senior men’s tennis competition, just behind the ATP Tour. He also became the youngest Australian to win a title on the ATP Challenger Tour since Alexei Popyrin in 2018.
  • In January 2023, he and his partner Jason Kubler won the men’s doubles event at the Australian Open. The pair defeated 3 seeded teams – the 6th seed in the 2nd round, the world number 1 doubles pair in the quarter-final, and the 8th seed in the semi-final – during the tournament.
  • The pairing of Rinky and Jason had also saved a match point in the 3rd round of the tournament. Upon winning the final, they became the 2nd consecutive all-Australian champions at the event (the pairing of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis had won the men’s doubles event at the 2022 Australian Open).
  • Featured Image by Rinky Hijikata / Instagram

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