relieved to have reached the first round of the Masters 1000 from Rome after a start to the season thwarted by health problems, Arthur Rinderknech (27, 89th in the world) stopped the next day, logically beaten by world No. 4 Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-0 in 61 minutes.
It will have been enough for the Norwegian with a single break point, while the French served at 4-5, to pocket a fairly balanced first set. As if the spring had suddenly broken, Rinderknech did not manage to win a single game and especially not the slightest point on his 3 service games in the second set, which says a lot about the path that separates this good server from its best level (42nd last October). Two weeks before Roland-Garros (May 22 – June 11), Arthur Rinderknech has still not won two straight victories on the main circuit in 2023.