Rinky Hijikata continued his charge towards the world’s Top 100 on Monday with a straight-sets win in Newport.

The Australian defeated Abdullah Shelbayh 6-3, 6-4 without losing serve to reach the second round of the Infosys Hall of Fame Open.

“It’s great. It’s my first time playing here and I was really looking forward to it,” Hijikata said. “I’ve heard great things about the tournament and then to get to play on centre court my first match here was pretty cool. And I was very, very happy to get through the match today.”

The 22-year-old climbed to No. 110 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings with his victory. Hijikata, who advanced to his first ATP Tour singles semi-final last month in ’s-Hertogenbosch, saved the only break point he faced on the Rhode Island grass.

“I’ve said it a lot before but I love playing on the grass,” said Hijikata, who will next play second seed Adrian Mandarin. “Any tournament that’s on the grass, I feel at home and I’m pumped to play. I’m stoked that I got through my first round and I have the chance to play hopefully another match and maybe a couple more.”

Hijikata’s countryman, seventh seed Jordan Thompson, ousted American Aleksandar Vukic 6-0, 6-1. Thompson has made both his previous ATP Tour finals (’s-Hertogenbosch in 2019 and 2023) on grass.

In other action, Liam Broady defeated Shintaro Mochizuki 6-1, 7-5 and Corentin Moutet eliminated University of Texas college standout Eliot Spizzirri 7-6(7), 6-0.

Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta has an interesting take on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“It’s like a jungle!” Diaz Acosta told ATPTour.com. “The Challenger Tour is so, so tough. Everyone can beat everyone. Maybe one week you do good, the next week you lose first round. Maybe [a player ranked] 200 can beat a Top 100 player. That makes you stronger, you have to have a very good mindset or else you will stay there and not pass it.”

Though it may be a ‘jungle’, the 22-year-old has excelled at the Challenger level this year. Diaz Acosta is one of four players to earn three Challenger titles this season, joining Andy Murray, Matteo Arnaldi, and Max Purcell. Diaz Acosta’s triumph at this month’s Milan Challenger helped him crack the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time Monday, when he climbed to World No. 97.

Welcome to the club, @Facudiazacosta 💯#ATPChallenger | @AATenis pic.twitter.com/tH5ww438Db

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 17, 2023

“It’s something that every tennis player wants to achieve, so I’m very happy for that,” Diaz Acosta said of his Top 100 debut. “It’s tough to keep this level all through the years, obviously I have to keep improving. I cannot just be happy and stay sitting down like, ‘I’m Top 100!’ because then everyone will pass me.

“I think it came faster than I thought. I started the year like 200 and three months ago I was 150. I don’t know if I expected it too soon, I was practising good and playing good. In practises, I was playing with Top 100 guys and I was beating them, so I knew I had the level and I just had to compete better.”

Sure, the Buenos Aires native’s hard work has reaped a career-high ranking. But it has not been without difficulty. Diaz Acosta has had to sacrifice precious time at home, often being thousands of miles away from his loved ones while travelling on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“You have to be in Europe for a long time, away from your family and friends, away from sleeping in your bed! It’s kind of tough. In my case, I’ve been here for around three months so I’m starting to get a little tired,” Diaz Acosta said. “Every South American player goes to Europe a lot and if you have good weeks, you cannot go home because it’s like 12 hours and too expensive to go home for one week.

“It’s tough, but I think it makes us stronger mentally because when you’re here in Europe, you don’t want to lose a match and then do nothing. Maybe if you play back home, you play a tournament then you say, ‘Okay, I lost and I’m a little tired, I’ll go back home!’ It’s tough, I’ve been in Europe for three months and I miss my family, friends, all of my life in Buenos Aires.”

If there’s any plus from being away from home, perhaps it is that Diaz Acosta does not have to fight the temptation of the endless chocolate that sits around his house.

“My mother [Cecilia] is in the marketing part of a chocolate company, so we have plenty of chocolate at home,” Diaz Acosta said. “I wake up and I have chocolate right there so I’m like, ‘Okay, I have to be strong!’ There’s always chocolate. It’s tough. Mentally I’m so strong with chocolate.”

Fans can catch the Argentine in action this week at the Van Mossel KIA Dutch Open in Amersfoort, Netherlands, where he is the top seed and will open against Frenchman Ugo Blanchet. All ATP Challenger Tour matches are available to watch live and on demand on Challenger TV at no cost.

Carlos Alcaraz passed one of the toughest tests in tennis by downing seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday to claim his maiden title at the grass-court major.

From his own relative inexperience on grass to Djokovic’s unrivalled knack of getting over the line at the majors, the context of Alcaraz’s victory only enhanced the 20-year-old Spaniard’s achievement. To reflect further on an all-time classic, ATPTour.com breaks down five stunning aspects to Alcaraz’s 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 final win.

1. Green On Grass
A 34-match winning streak dating back to 2017, a 92-10 tournament record, undefeated on Centre Court in over 10 years: Djokovic’s Wimbledon stats leading into the final painted a clear picture of the challenge facing Alcaraz. The Serbian’s experience at the All England Club stood in particularly stark contrast to his opponent, who was competing for only the third time at Wimbledon and in just his fourth tournament on grass at any level.

The Spaniard’s development on the surface had been evident as he triumphed at The Queen’s Club prior to reaching the final at SW19, but ending Djokovic’s reign on Centre Court in such dramatic fashion counts as another level of achievement altogether.

10 YEARS and 9 DAYS 😲@carlosalcaraz is the only man to defeat Novak Djokovic on Centre Court at Wimbledon since Andy Murray in 2013.Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | Wimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/cDBqfovOdu

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 16, 2023

2. Making It At The Majors
It wasn’t just a deficit of Wimbledon experience that Alcaraz had to overcome on Centre Court. Alcaraz was competing in just his second championship match at a Grand Slam event, after his 2022 US Open win. Djokovic, by comparison, was playing in his 35th major final, a tally which moved him clear of former WTA star Chris Evert on the all-time list.

With Alcaraz struggling to settle, the Serbian raced to a 6-1 lead to ramp up the pressure on his 20-year-old opponent. Coming into the match Djokovic held a 15-3 record in major finals after winning the first set, making the way Alcaraz roared back to claim victory even more impressive.

3. A Rapid Reversal From Roland Garros
Just five weeks prior to their Wimbledon clash, Alcaraz had become riddled with nerves-induced cramp during his Roland Garros semi-final against Djokovic. With the Spaniard later admitting the occasion had got to him in Paris, that recent history raised pre-match question marks around Alcaraz’s ability to compete against Djokovic on Centre Court.

In the final, it was the 20-year-old World No. 1 who outlasted Djokovic, one of the toughest and durable competitors the ATP Tour has seen, on the London grass. He crucially broke the Serbian in a lung-busting 27-minute game at 3-1 in the third set, and still appeared in peak physical shape as he hit 18 winners to Djokovic’s three in the deciding set.

4. Snapping Novak’s Tie-Break Tear-Up
Djokovic’s psychological hold over opponents during tie-breaks has been a key feature of his success at the majors in 2023. Entering the second set against Alcaraz, the 36-year-old had won 15 straight tie-breaks at Grand Slam events dating back to his second-round Australian Open match against Enzo Couacaud in January.

The final six of those 15 breakers came during Djokovic’s Wimbledon run, but it was Alcaraz who snapped the streak when he needed it most. On the brink of falling two sets behind at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break, the Spaniard fended off set point before reeling off three points in a row to level the match and kick-start his charge towards victory.

Fighting back 🫡

An entertaining second set goes the way of @carlosalcaraz 7-6(6)! Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | Wimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/8IJFWwgB8p

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 16, 2023

5. Staying Alive Over Five
Djokovic’s ability to pull out clutch deciding-set performances on the biggest stage is renowned. Prior to Sunday, the Serbian had won his past four five-set Grand Slam finals, outlasting Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2014 and 2019, Dominic Thiem at the 2020 Australian Open and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Roland Garros in 2021.

Whether Alcaraz was aware of Djokovic’s crunch-time record at the majors is unclear, but the Spaniard fearlessly took it to the 23-time major champion in style in the final set. As Djokovic netted a forehand on championship point, the 20-year-old World No. 1 became the first player to beat the Serbian in a five-set major final since Andy Murray at the 2012 US Open.

Luca Van Assche continues to find his feet on the ATP Tour.

The #NextGenATP Frenchman claimed the fifth tour-level victory of both his career and the 2023 season Monday by downing home wild card Dragos Nicolae Madaras 7-6(2), 6-4 at the Nordea Open in Bastad. Van Assche prevailed in a topsy-turvy first-round battle featuring seven breaks of serve to book a second-round clash against defending champion Francisco Cerundolo.

“I felt good. It was a very close match against a good player,” said Van Assche. “He beat me two years ago, so I knew he was a tough player. It was a tough match, and at the end I was a little bit tight, so it was not my perfect game, but I managed to win this match and I am very happy.”

Each of Van Assche’s ATP Tour wins have come at different events, with four triumphs on clay being complemented by a maiden grass-court win against George Loffhagen in Eastbourne. He defeated Stan Wawrinka in Banja Luka in April before pushing Novak Djokovic to three sets in the second round, while his 16-5 record this year on the ATP Challenger Tour also suggests the 19-year-old is growing increasingly accustomed to grinding out wins.

Currently sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, Van Assche will hope to reach his maiden ATP Tour quarter-final by upsetting Cerundolo in Bastad, a result which would also boost his chances of qualifying for the season-ending 21-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals.

“I’m very happy to be here, my first time in Sweden,” said Van Assche. “I’m looking forward to the second round against the defending champion. It will be a tough match, so I will just prepare and be ready for it.”

Thiago Monteiro also made a winning start in Bastad on Monday. The No. 122-ranked Brazilian defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in Sweden for his eighth tour-level win of the year. The 29-year-old Monteiro, who reached his sole ATP Tour quarter-final of 2023 so far on the clay of Santiago in February, will meet fifth seed Alexander Zverev or Alex Molcan in the second round.

Dominic Thiem did not take long to get back to winning ways Monday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.

The Austrian rode a fast start to a 6-1, 7-6(4) first-round victory against Alexandre Muller at the ATP 250, his first tour-level win since April. The former World No. 3, who lifted the trophy in Gstaad in 2015, saved all four break points he faced in his 95-minute triumph.

“It’s always great to be here. Already on Wednesday, when I arrived, it felt like home here,” said Thiem. “With the surroundings, with the mountains, the fresh air.

“Everything is really great here, and also when I step on the court I feel great memories from 2015 and last year, when I made a nice run to the semis. The conditions here suit my game very well, so I’m super happy that I got the win today as well.”

Thiem will take on #NextGenATP Hamad Medjedovic in the second round in the Swiss Alps as he chases his first ATP Tour crown since returning to action in March last year after a long-term wrist injury. He now holds an 8-2 record in Gstaad, having also reached the semi-finals on his second appearance there in 2022.

The 19-year-old Medjedovic upset fifth seed Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 for the first ATP Tour victory of his career. The Serbian, who is currently ninth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, converted five of his eight break points to book a second-round test against 17-time tour-level titlist Thiem.

Daniel Altmaier and Jaume Munar also enjoyed straight-sets wins to kick-start their campaigns at the clay-court event. Germany’s Altmaier downed Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 6-4 for his personal-best eighth tour-level win of the year to set a second-round meeting with his countryman, the fourth-seeded Yannick Hanfmann.

Munar saw off home wild card Alexander Ritschard 6-3, 6-3 to improve to 4-0 in opening-round matches in Gstaad. He could face another home favourite, Stan Wawrinka, in the second round, if the Swiss can beat sixth seed Roberto Carballes Baena.

The 24-year-old Zizou Bergs notched his second tour-level win of the season with a hard-fought 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 triumph against eighth seed Laslo Djere. It was the Belgian’s first victory in three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings with Djere, having fallen to the Serbian in Gstaad in 2021 and again at this year’s Australian Open.

Carlos Alcaraz lifted his second Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon, where several ATP Tour stars enjoyed impressive runs at the grass-court major. ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

No. 31 Christopher Eubanks, +12 (Career High)
The American has climbed to a career-high No. 31 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after he advanced to his first major quarter-final at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old, who triumphed in Mallorca last month, downed Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cameron Norrie before falling against Daniil Medvedev.

No. 32 Matteo Berrettini, +6
The 27-year-old has moved six places following his fourth-round run at Wimbledon. The Italian entered The Championships without a tour-level win since Monte-Carlo in April, but re-found some of his best grass-court form, defeating Lorenzo Sonego, Alex de Minaur and Alexander Zverev.

No. 43 Roman Safiullin, +49 (Career High)
The 25-year-old came into Wimbledon as World No. 92 with just six tour-level match wins on the season. Four victories later and he left as a Grand Slam quarter-finalist for the first time and at a career-high No. 43. Safiullin.

No. 56 Daniel Elahi Galan, +29 (Career High)

The Colombian made history on London’s lawns when he became the first man from his nation to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old, who entered SW19 with just two grass-court tour-level wins in his career, won a five-set third-round thriller against Mikael Ymer before losing against Jannik Sinner.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 14 Tommy Paul, +1 (Career High)
No. 17 Hubert Hurkacz, +1
No. 19 Alexander Zverev, +2
No. 21 Grigor Dimitrov, +3
No. 23 Denis Shapovalov +6
No. 33 Jiri Lehecka, +4 (Career High)
No. 51 Mikael Ymer, +8
No. 58 Sebastian Ofner, +14 (Career High)
No. 65 Quentin Halys, +14
No. 74 Stan Wawrinka, +14
No. 89 Pavel Kotov, +16 (Career High)
No. 92 Ilya Ivashka, +10
No. 97 Facundo Diaz Acosta, +18 (Career High)
No. 100 Juan Manuel Cerundolo, +11