(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Taylor Fritz is through into the Roland Garros third round for the first time since 2020. The American defeated the last home player in the draw, Arthur Rinderknech, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 50 minutes. Taylor did not like the crowd’s acts on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, silencing them and receiving even stronger reactions from the stands.
The American raised his level after the opener, getting broken once in sets two, three and four to emerge at the top. Fritz defended his second serve nicely, facing only four breaks points in almost three hours. Rinderknech grabbed three breaks, but it was not enough to keep him in contention after losing serve four times from 14 chances offered to his rival.
Both players had more winners than unforced errors, and Taylor played better in the decisive moments to emerge at the top. The Frenchman built a slight edge in the shortest range up to four strokes, and the American erased it in the mid-range and most extended rallies to celebrate the win.
Taylor Fritz battled against the opponent and the crowd on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Arthur earned three of his four break points in the opening return games, with Taylor struggling to find the rhythm behind the initial shot.
The American squandered a 40-0 lead in the encounter’s first game to experience a break. He missed four break points in game two and fell 3-0 behind after netting a forehand in the next one. Rinderknech held after deuces in game four and opened a 5-1 gap with a hold at love.
The home favorite served for the set at 5-2 and faced a break point. He denied it with a powerful attack and held with a perfect serve & volley combo for 6-2. They needed half an hour to wrap up the second set’s opening nine games, with Fritz holding at love at 4-4 after a service winner to keep the pressure on the other side.
Rinderknech served to stay in the set at 4-5 and got broken for the first time in the match when his backhand caught the net, handing the set to his rival, who gained a massive boost. Fritz barely lost a point behind the initial shot in the third set and scored an early break to build the advantage.
Arthur produced three holds at love, but only after losing serve in game two following a backhand error. They made six consecutive holds at love, and Taylor wrapped up the set with a forehand down the line winner for two sets to one advantage after two hours and two minutes.
They continued in the same style in the fourth set, with no chance for the returners in the opening six games. Taylor earned three break points in the seventh game and landed a drop shot winner that sent him 4-3 in front. Rinderknech struggled physically but still gave his everything to prolong the battle.
The Frenchman attacked in the eighth game and landed a forehand down the line winner to pull the break back and level the score at 4-4. The American left that game behind and grabbed another break with a drop shot winner in windy conditions, opening a 5-4 gap and serving for the victory.
Fritz stayed composed despite the crowd trying to disturb him, forcing the rival’s mistake to emerge at the top and repeat his best Roland Garros result.
