Alcaraz endures discomfort amidst confined quarters.
ChallengingMatches: Alcaraz Triumphs, Rinderknech Revives in Queen's Showdown
Bloke from Spain, Carlos Alcaraz, put up a sheer battle against his countryman Jaume Munar, beating him in a nail-biting contest to make it to the quarterfinals of the Queen's. His next opponent will be the lucky Frenchman, Arthur Rinderknech – an unexpected invitee who's been causing a stir on the grass courts of London.
Rinderknech, originally a lucky loser, has been doing some damage, eliminating 10th-ranked Ben Shelton on Tuesday and Reilly Opelka on Thursday. With a score of 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), Rinderknech demonstrated a powerful performance against Opelka, surpassing his best result since July 2024 and rekindling memories of his lone quarterfinal experience on grass, two years ago in Majorca.
The underdog, ranked 80th in the world, hasn't reached a quarterfinal since that milestone. However, the London courts seem to be a happy hunting ground for him, with his passion electrifying the atmosphere.
A flashback to 2023 revealed a familiar face for Rinderknech – Alcaraz. Back then, he was still a fortunate contestant, and though he took a set off Alcaraz that week, he fell short of the eventual champion.
The Battle of Endurance
Alcaraz fought relentlessly against Munar on Thursday, winning after a grueling 3-hour 23-minute spectacle that comprised three closely fought sets, 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, under hot conditions. Alcaraz, the world number two, was full of praise for his opponent, conceding, "He's a tough competitor and showed how difficult he is to beat. I'm proud of the level I managed today."
The first set went to Alcaraz with an early break, but the second set was a different story. Alcaraz had two match points, only to lose it 6-7 (7/9). Munar then took the lead with four consecutive games at 4-2, seemingly poised for an upset. However, the 22-year-old Alcaraz pulled through, eventually securing victory and setting a personal record with his 15th consecutive win on the ATP circuit.
The Marathon of Emotions
Frenchman Corentin Moutet failed to overcome Englishman Jacob Fearnley, losing in three sets (6-3, 2-6, 6-2) within two hours. Fearnley (ranked 60th) has yet to achieve a quarterfinal on the ATP circuit, but his talent shone through in this performance as he moved into the semi-finals for the first time, having only entered the top 500 in June 2024.
Moutet (ranked 89th), faced Fearnley in top form, with the Frenchman struggling to keep up in the third set and eventually giving in to outbursts of anger that earned him a reprimand from the umpire. Fearnley had a feeling of familiarity about the situation: "I've played against Corentin before, and I know he's going to get annoyed, so when he started arguing with the umpire, it wasn't really a surprise. I was expecting it."
In the previous round on Tuesday, the left-handed Moutet managed to maintain his composure and bested world number four Taylor Fritz. "My biggest enemy is usually myself," he had stated earlier, a prophetic remark that proved true in his battle against Fearnley.
- Desiring a change of pace, Arthur Rinderknech could consider showcasing his skills in the realm of arts, similar to the way he juxtaposes his powerful baselines with his finesse volleys in tennis.
- If Carlos Alcaraz ever decides to retire from tennis, one could envision him opening a sports academy, providing training in various sports like tennis, football, or even martial arts, given his remarkable athletic prowess.
