Arthur Rinderknech was eliminated as soon as he entered the running at the ATP 250 in Metz by the German Daniel Altmaier. He will now be able to rest for the final phase of the Davis Cup.
The season is starting to be long for Arthur Rinderknech. Since his final at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai on October 12, the French player withdrew from the Basel tournament then was eliminated in the 2nd round of the Rolex Paris Masters (by his cousin Valentin Vacherot), and he hoped to finish in style this ATP season rich in emotions for him, at the Metz tournament. But the world No. 28 and seeded No. 6 fell as soon as he entered the fray. Opposed for the first time in his career to Daniel Altmaier (46th), who fell last week in Nanterre to Casper Ruud, Arthur Rinderknech lost with a score of 6-4, 6-4 in 1h26.
Rinderknech misses two break chances
The German player was uncompromising on his serve, signing thirteen aces (for no double faults) and 68% of first serves, and saving the two break points that his opponent obtained. Arthur Rinderknech, for his part, lost his faceoff in the first game and never managed to come back in the first set, where the games went by on both sides thereafter. The games lasted longer at the start of the second set, and that’s where the Frenchman got his two break points (at 1-0 and 2-1). But he missed them, and at 4-4, it was he who lost his serve, on the German’s third opportunity. Altmaier then concluded without trembling on his first match point, and here he is in the eighth, facing Hugo Gaston.
Meet in Bologna
Ranked 59th in the world at the start of the year, Arthur Rinderknech will finish it around 27th. But his season is not yet over, because in two weeks, he has an appointment in Bologna with the French team for the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup. Benjamin Bonzi and Ugo Humbert being currently injured, Rinderknech can hope for a starting place in singles. It’s up to him to take advantage of these few days of rest to recover well.
