Rafael Nadal drops first set but rallies to defeat Rinky Hijikata at US Open

By George Ramsay, CNN

Updated 0933 GMT (1733 HKT) August 31, 2022

Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Rinky Hijikata in the first round of the Australian Open.

(CNN)Rafael Nadal dropped his opening set at the US Open but recovered to defeat Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3.

It means Nadal remains unbeaten in his 20 grand slams matches this year having triumphed at the Australian Open and French Open before withdrawing from the Wimbledon semifinals due to injury. The Spaniard was playing his first US Open match since winning his fourth title at Flushing Meadows in 2019, and he had to overcome an early scare against world No. 198 Hijikata. «I was a little bit nervous,» Nadal said of his performance in the first set. «First match here in New York after three years, a night session, it's always exciting. I went through this tough moment.»Hijikata secured the opening break with a lob at 3-3 before serving out for an early lead, but Nadal began to assert his dominance in the second set — breaking Hijitaka's serve at the first opportunity.Read MoreNadal seemed untroubled from there — leveling the match with another break, then taking the next two sets to complete the victory in just over three hours. He ended the match with 42 winners and 22 unforced errors. READ: Defending champion Raducanu and Osaka both lose in US Open first roundNadal (right) and Hijikata meet at the net following their first-round match. With no Novak Djokovic in the draw, Nadal has a good chance of winning his 23rd grand slam title at this year's US Open. However, he enters the tournament short on match experience having played just once since retiring from Wimbledon with an abdominal strain — a defeat against Borna Ćorić at the Western &