The Ligurian prevails 7-6 (6) 7-6 (3) after a long battle of two hours and 10 minutes. The Spaniard, number 2 in the world, awaits him in the next match
As a fighter and great player, Matteo Arnaldi takes the second round of Indian Wells. The Ligurian tennis player reaches the second round of the first Masters 1000 of the year, where he will even face Carlitos Alcaraz (seeded number 2). Arnaldi beat the Frenchman Luca van Assche with enormous effort, putting the match on a physical level and winning 7-6 (6) 7-6 (3) after a long battle of two hours and 10 minutes.
THE MATCH
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Arnaldi finds himself down a break after 4 games and doesn’t convert 3 balls of the counter-break, being caught up by Van Assche. The first set would slip away for many players, but not for him, who broke the serve at 15 in the sixth game and put everything back in balance at 3-3. There the match slides towards a tie-break. Matteo, as a fighter, gets two set points on which the Frenchman is sumptuous. First a backhand down the line, then a perfect return. At 6-6 van Assche only takes lines, but Matteo holds an endless exchange and wins the point. The third set point arrives and the Frenchman pays for the effort with a sensational double fault, which hands the set to Matteo after 64 minutes of play.
EPILOGUE
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It could be a strong blow for van Assche, who instead frees his arm at the beginning of the second set and goes up 2-0. The Frenchman immediately concedes a counter-break point, but cancels everything and sets his sights on winning the partial. But you should never think that Arnaldi’s opponent is in control: van Assche complicates his life in the seventh game, concedes two more break points and is punished by Matteo’s smash. Arnaldi is perfect in the next round of service and goes up 4-4, calling everything into question. Still at the tie-break, Matteo is monstrous and manages to score big points even on the second. At 5-3 comes a prodigious recovery with the forehand, which leads to the match point, transformed with another forehand that pinches the line. Arnaldi is strong and proves it once again.
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