Rinky Hijikata defeated Adrian Mannarino 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 in the first round of the Australian Open on hard court on 19 January 2026, confirming his pre-match favourite status with a commanding performance. The Japanese player controlled proceedings throughout, breaking down the French veteran's resistance with consistent intensity across all three sets. Mannarino, seeded or ranked lower coming into the match, offered limited resistance as Hijikata's dominance grew more pronounced as the contest progressed, particularly in the third set where the scoreline became a rout. The victory suggests Hijikata has carried strong form into the opening Grand Slam of the year and will face a considerably stiffer test in the second round.