US Open: Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech to make his debut in the last 16 of a Grand Slam, joined by Adrien Mannarino
"Someone had to win" : Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech defeated his compatriot and friend Benjamin Bonzi in the third round of the US Open on Friday, August 29 (4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2) to earn his first Grand Slam round of 16 at the age of 30. The icing on the cake: the world number 82 is guaranteed to play on a big court, as he will face five-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz ( 2nd ) and winner of the US Open in 2022 in the next round.
The player, coached by former world number 10 Lucas Pouille, overcame the first-set loss to defeat Bonzi. "I never win in three sets, for me losing a set is routine," joked Rinderknech in his post-match interview, not without a word for his younger brother, who was also hoping to reach a first round of 16 in a Grand Slam at 29 years old.
"Congratulations to him for everything he has achieved (...) He has achieved some crazy victories," like on the night of Sunday to Monday against the former world number 1 Daniil Medvedev, declared Rinderknech.
Alcaraz "quite a good player""I'm glad we played each other in the third round rather than the first, it shows we're on the right track," said the winner. As for how he planned to beat his next opponent, the Frenchman humorously dodged the question: "I don't know. He's a pretty good player," prompting some laughter from the sparse stands on court number 17.
Under the watchful eye of Pouille and Bonzi's new coach, Nicolas Mahut, Rinderknech started well but gradually began to make more errors against an opponent who didn't give him a single break point in the first set. After saving a break point for Bonzi early in the second set, the Breton responded by breaking the Nîmes player's serve at his first opportunity to lead 5-3 before confirming his break to level the score at one set apiece.
Author of a new break in the first game of the third set, Rinderknech gradually took control of the match, with aces (15) and a large number of winners (56 against 19) which undoubtedly wore down Bonzi, winner of two matches in five sets in the previous rounds.
Shelton in tears after being abandonedAt 37, Adrian Mannarino qualified for his first US Open round of 16 match on Friday after world number 6 Ben Shelton with a left shoulder injury. The Frenchman ( 77th ) had just leveled the match at two sets apiece when the American left-hander threw in the towel, after hurting himself on a forehand earlier in the set and wincing several times at the end of the rally. The match ended 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, while Mannarino learned of his opponent's withdrawal after returning from a bathroom break.