Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Monday, May 20, 2024 at 8:40 p.m.
Arthur Rinderknech qualified for the second round of the ATP 250 tournament in Lyon by beating Dan Evans in the tie-break of the third set, after saving a match point. Hugo Gaston was interrupted by the rain.
Beaten from the start at the Masters 1000 in Madrid and Rome, Arthur Rinderknech had not won a match on the ATP circuit for more than a month. It is now done. The French player, 73rd in the world, made it through the first round of the ATP 250 tournament in Lyon by eliminating a player higher ranked than him, the Briton Dan Evans (60th) after a match in three sets which lasted almost three hours: 6-3, 4-6, 7-6. The native of Var has come a long way, as he had to save a match point in the tie-break. Arthur Rinderknech was having a big day at the service. He actually managed 20 aces (for two double-faults) and only lost his faceoff twice. In the first set, the Briton held until 3-2, before losing four games in a row, the Frenchman pocketing the set on his second opportunity at 5-3. But Rinderknech was broken at the start of the second set and never managed to catch up, despite a break point obtained in the process. Evans concluded at 5-4 on his second set point, equalizing at one set all.
A third set with twists and turns
Everything therefore came down to the third set, which the Frenchman seemed to master well thanks to a break at 3-2. He even led 5-2 and got a first match point on the opponent’s serve, but Evans saved it. On his momentum, the Briton managed to break the break against a Rinderknech who suddenly lost the thread of his game. The two men then easily won their service game and therefore had to decide in the tie-break. A decisive game in which Evans led 6-5. But he missed this match point and even lost the next two points. At 7-6 in favor of the Frenchman, the Briton missed his smash, and offered victory to his opponent, who fell to his knees with joy. Author of a season without relief so far on the ATP circuit (only one quarter, in Marseille), Arthur Rinderknech will play the round of 16 in Lyon, against Frances Tiafoe or Jaume Munar. Also note this Monday the qualification of the No. 6 seed Tomas Etcheverry against the Spanish qualifier Nikolas Sanchez with a score of 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Gaston interrupted
Hugo Gaston, another Frenchman on the program for this Monday, was unable to complete his match against Daniel Galan. This meeting between the 104th and the 105th in the world was interrupted by the rain while Gaston had won the first set in the tie-break (7-2) after having saved two set points at 5-4, and the two men were going play another tie-break in the second, after four breaks in a row to conclude the set from 4-4.
2024-05-20 18:40:00
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