“This has to be crossing some line surely?”: Rinky Hijikata reveals receiving death threat after defeat in Acapulco Challenger

Sunday, 21 April 2024 at 13:30

Australia’s young tennis player Rinky Hijikata has revealed that he has received death threats after his defeat to Acapulco Challenger. There have been instances in the recent past where players from different sports complained about receiving death threats, mostly after their own or team’s poor performance.

The same has happened with Hijikata who not only revealed that he received a death threat after the disappointing outing at the Acapulco Challenger but also condemned the action recent post. "All for hate mail but this has to be crossing some line surely? Not writing from a burner was a rookie error.. anyone know this Thyerry bloke?,” he stated in a post on his official account on the social media platform.

In the competition, the Sydney-born lost in the quarterfinal to Canada’s Alexis Galarneau with a score of 6-0, 7-5. Before that, in the round of 32, he defeated Jamaica’s Blaise Bicknell with a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. In the round of 16, Hijikata defeated Bor Artnak in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-3.

Hijikata, despite playing in the Challengers competition, is already a known name in the world of men’s tennis at the highest level. He has already won a double Grand Slam as he lifted the Australian Open in 2023 with partner Jason Kubler defeating the pair of Hugo Nys and Jan Zieliński in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-6.

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7:21 AM · Apr 21, 2024

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Azeem Siddiqui

Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.

He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.

In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.

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