Mixed results for the French in Rome this Thursday morning. If Varvara Gracheva largely dominated Federica Di Sarra, Grégoire Barrère lost. Just like Arthur Rinderknech, whose match was interrupted by rain on Wednesday, and who was unable to validate his ticket for the second round of the Masters 1000 in Rome, losing in the tie-break in the third set, despite three balls of match.
Gracheva without trembling, Rinderknech was very close
Varvara Gracheva, 88th in the WTA rankings, outclassed the Italian Federica Di Sarra (530th in the world) without forcing (6-1, 6-3). Imperial in the first set, the Frenchwoman dropped a single service game in the second set. For her second participation in the WTA 1000 in Rome, Gracheva will experience the second round of the Italian tournament against Maria Sakkari, after going through the qualifications.
Arthur Rinderknech (73rd) saw his ticket for the second round slip away. Winner of a contested first set (7-6 [3]), the Frenchman trembled in the following act as he concluded. While leading 5-2, he suffered the return of Francesco Passaro (240th) and lost his footing (5-7) despite two match points, at 5-3. In the third set, both players held their shots perfectly, not conceding any break and the game therefore ended in a tie-break. Rinderknech again got a match point (at 7-6), but three points later, it was Passaro who managed to finish (7-6 [7]). He will face Tallon Griekspoor in the next round.
Grégoire Barrère, 115th in the world, also lost this Thursday morning. The Habs could not resist the Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild (61st). Facing an aggressive opponent in the first set, the Frenchman was broken in his first three service games before saving a set point in the ninth game, in vain. Barrère ended up collapsing in the second set (6-4, 6-2).
