SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Top seeds and former University of North Carolina teammates Rinky Hijikata and Mac Kiger captured their first career ATP Challenger Tour doubles title together on Saturday at the $160,000 MarketBeat Open with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over unseeded Juan Jose Bianchi of Venezuela and Andrew Fenty of Washington, D.C.
Hijikata, 24, of Sydney, Australia, and Kiger, 26, of Katonah, N.Y., played together for two seasons in Chapel Hill in 2019-20 and 2020-21, helping the Tar Heels win the 2021 ITA National Team Indoor National Championship.
In the first two rounds, they won back-to-back three-setters before cruising in the semifinals and final in straight sets. In the championship, they saved four break points (three in the first set, one in the second) while converting two of four break points. Both teams won 79 percent of first-serve points and the difference was second-serve points, as Hijikata/Kiger won 64 percent compared to 42 percent for Bianchi/Fenty.
It was the first Challenger title of the season for Hijikata, who was also runner-up at Wimbledon (w/David Pel) and third Challenger title of the season for Kiger.
