Arthur Rinderknech, 73ᵉ world player in the ATP ranking, qualified Thursday, August 31 for the third round of the US Open, benefiting from the abandonment on injury of the Italian Matteo Berrettini (36ᵉ), who twisted the right ankle in the second set. The Frenchman dominated the match 6-4, 5-3 before the Italian’s injury.
“I was in my match, very happy with the way I was playing”said the former resident of the American university Texas A & M. “I prevented him from playing. I was more offensive than him, which is not necessarily easy to do. »
At 28, Rinderknech had never passed the second round in a Grand Slam tournament. The player seems in good shape after having accumulated physical problems since last year. Tormented by his wrist, he then contracted Covid-19 in December 2022, then mononucleosis in January and February 2023, before declaring pubalgia.
“It’s been maybe a month, a month and a half that I manage to chain matches again without telling myself how I’m going to play the next one? »described the Varois by birth. “Everything is going very well physically. Today I was extremely wellhe continued. I feel like I had five sets in my legs without a problem. »
Ready for his third round, Rinderknech will not be entitled to the Franco-French duel he was hoping for: he will face the Russian Andrey Rublev (8ᵉ), who defeated Gaël Monfils.
Son fought to the end
Another disappointment on the French side, Arthur Fils (48ᵉ) finally lost to the Italian Matteo Arnaldi (61ᵉ), after a disputed match – 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) , 5-7, 6-4. The young 19-year-old hopeful fought until the end, even coming back from 4-1 to 4-3 in the fifth set, to finally give in on a last service game from the Italian.
“He was very good at the important moments”, Fils commented after his match about Arnaldi. The game was played at “a few small details”said the Frenchman, “Things I need to learn. » Arnaldi, 22, made the difference thanks to his serve, intermittent but effective when the match was played, as well as his ability to hold the exchange.
A natural puncher, Fils often brought fire to his racquet, especially in the forehand, signing 57 winning shots, much more than the Italian (41). But he also committed 41 unforced errors and lacked percussion on his second ball.
The recent winner of the Lyon tournament leaves New York with, in his pocket, a first match won in the Grand Slam, in the first round. “It’s experience”Son explained. “I know how to approach the next Grand Slam, in Australia. I take positives from it”he continued, even though he said to himself ” very disappointed “.
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The one who will soon make his big debut in the Davis Cup said he did not suffer physically Thursday despite the sequence of two matches in five sets, he who had never played before.
In the third round, Arnaldi will play against Briton Cameron Norrie (16ᵉ), who beat Taiwanese Yu Hsiou Hsu (7-5, 6-4, 6-4) on Thursday. Just like Son, 22-year-old Arnaldi is on the rise and is currently posting the highest ranking of his career.