Battling Rinky Hijikata has lived to fight another day at Wimbledon after saving three match points and then being reprieved by a controversial suspension of play amid farcical scenes as darkness descended.
As his match with 10th seed Ben Shelton approached its finish on No.2 Court with the American in total control late on Thursday evening, Sydneysider Hijikata was on the brink of defeat at 2-6 5-7 3-5 and 0-40 down.
Yet Australia's world No.87 then fought tigerishly to win the five next points and stay in the hunt, by which time it was 9.30pm and had become so dark on a court without floodlighting that Spanish chair umpire Nacho Forcadell insisted he had to call a suspension.
Shelton was furious, being told he would not be given one last chance to serve out for the match. The left-hander, who has one of the biggest deliveries in the game, had previously not dropped his serve all match.
While he complained, and the courtside supervisor stepped in quickly, Hijikata had already swiftly sped away to complete his great escape, knowing he can return on Friday afternoon to try to rescue what, in truth, still looks close to a lost cause.
The most ridiculous aspect of the affair was that after he had taken his two-set lead at 8.40pm, the dominant Shelton had already queried with Forcadell whether there was enough time to complete the match.
The 22-year-old American also pointed out it was beginning to be slippery at the back of the court and seemed as if he would have been happy for the match to be postponed at that point.
Hijikata, perhaps playing for time, had meanwhile disappeared for a strategic comfort break and when the 24-year-old Australian returned, he didn't seem overly enthused about them playing on.
Indeed, after slipping on the grass at 1-3 down, he pointedly told Forcadell: "No mate, you're not the one out there running and moving."
