Hijikata vs Bonzi Prediction 26 August 2026
🔊 Rinky Hijikata and Benjamin Bonzi both caused upsets in the second round of the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem, beating higher-ranked Raphaël Collignon and Quentin Halys respectively. There are no excuses for the seeded players - both went into those matches as clear favourites, including in the betting. That said, neither man in this upcoming encounter is a pushover: both have reached the quarter-finals here as their best result at this event. Let's look at who has the better chance of matching that run.
Head-to-Head
📊 Rinky Hijikata and Benjamin Bonzi have never met before.
Rinky Hijikata Player Overview
Five wins from his last ten matches is a mixed but not alarming record for Rinky Hijikata. In the earlier rounds of this tournament he beat Darwin Blanch and Raphaël Collignon in succession, and against the Belgian top-40 player he mounted a genuine comeback, winning 3-6, 7-6, 7-6. Hijikata holds serve in 76% of his service games - below the tour average, but enough to stay competitive on his own delivery. That combination tends to keep him close on the scoreboard even against higher-ranked opponents, as the second round showed. His matches also rarely end quickly - he averages more than 27 games per match.
Match Results: Rinky Hijikata
Benjamin Bonzi Player Overview
Benjamin Bonzi also has a neutral record over his last ten matches (5-5), and he has already caused a stir in Winston-Salem, beating Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 7-6 and Quentin Halys 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 - both times as a clear underdog. His hold percentage is slightly higher than his upcoming opponent's (77%), and he has won 59% of his sets. His average of 6.6 aces per match stands out compared to his opponent, though his total games won is on a par with Hijikata's. One notable pattern: most of his matches tend to go deep, with an average of nearly 24 games per match - something already evident in his win over Majchrzak, which included a tie-break in a two-set match.
Match Results: Benjamin Bonzi
Key factors
- The average number of games per match for both players exceeds 23.5.
- Both players' recent matches have tended to be competitive and rarely end quickly.
- Their games and sets won figures are closely matched, reflecting a similar level of play.
- Neither player holds a clear edge on serve or return, which tends to produce lengthy sets.
Expected scenario
Neither player goes into this match as a clear favourite: both are playing at a similar level and regularly feature in long, high-game-count matches. Two extended sets or a deciding third looks a plausible outcome. Both players spent considerable energy on their surprising wins in the previous rounds, so neither is likely to give this one up without a fight.
⭐ Editor's Pick
Both players in this round of 16 match at Winston-Salem are in similar form and posting comparable numbers across the key hard-court metrics. That is reflected in the game counts across virtually all of their matches. There is no meaningful gap between them in terms of serve holds or overall efficiency on points. Given that combination, a lengthy match looks the most likely outcome: two tight sets with tie-breaks, or a full third set, are both realistic - and both players have already gone through each of those scenarios in earlier rounds of this tournament. Our pick: Total Games - Over 21.5.
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