On a beautiful day for tennis the Atlantic Tire Championships held both the Men’s Singles Semi-Finals and the Doubles Finals. 

Two players with local ties got the day started.  Rinky Hijikata, who played at the University of North Carolina, defeated Patrick Kypson, who trained several years in the Cary Tennis Park Academy program, 6-4; 6-2.  Hijikata created 11 break point opportunities and was able to convert 5 of them in the win.  The second semi-finals two of the United States up and comers faced off.  Zachary Svajda defeated 19-year-old Alex Michelsen 6-3; 7-5.  Svajda won 55% of all the points played in the match. 

In a thrilling doubles final, Hijikata joined his fellow Australian, Andrew Harris, to defeat William Blumberg and Luis David Martinez 6-4; 3-6; 10-6.  The Australian team was able to squeak out the win by winning 52% of the total points won. 

The singles finals will be played at 2 pm on Sunday.  Hijikata, who made the round of 16 in the US Open a couple weeks ago, will have the opportunity to take home both the singles and doubles trophies, as fellow Australian, Adam Walton, did last month in the first Atlantic Tire Championship in the Summer Series.