Rinderknech, who is Sinner’s opponent at Roland Garros

At a certain point, on the dint of attacking, Arthur Rinderknech put us one foot: “What an idiot I was … I didn’t think it was a wall, it seemed to me a tarpaulin”. The last snapshot of his Roland Garros is a showy bandage like his fool: ahead 2-1 in the set of sets against Etcheverry, a messenger in the exchange and kicks from the parts of an advertising scoreboard. Without realizing that it hurts. He notices only after three games, when he sink 0-5 and also struggles to walk. Result? Fortefait. The Argentine, incredulous, passes the turn. Arthur Rinderknech, Sinner’s first opponent in Paris, is like this: attacking at any cost. He learned him from football, when he was about to become his full -time job, but also by a teacher who was a former slam finalist and the American university. At Roland Garros Jannik debuts with one of the academics of the circuit, the angular Dr. Rinderknech.

The jump in Texas

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In the Costa Azzurra handkerchief where he grew up, Rinderknech alternated the kicks (at the ball, not to the walls) and the showers. He voted for the seconds around the age of 13, however, making time to earn the nickname of “gentleman striker” who still remind him in the circuit if it happens. Because he made offensive tennis his point of reference: always on the hunt for the winner, rarely willing to stall. Two factors help him: the meter and 96 in height and a straight far from depreciable, capable of opening the road as the parents did, managers of a circle in France and then skilled advisors when it was to decide what to do in the post-diploma: “Take a degree in the United States, can always serve. And enhance your tennis”. Words of mom Virginie who every now and then stop on the street when they realize that she won a match at Roland Garros 1986. College in Texas is a gluttonous chance: “I wanted to study, but also continue with tennis. And I knew that one like Steve Denton had a lot to teach me: he was also very high and served powerful”. Excellent memory, that of the young Arthur: Denton, who becomes his mentor in the years of the University, is a former number 12 ATP and twice Finalist Slam, at the Australian Open.

first time with Sinner

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Define Rinderknech was unable to everyone. It is probably easier to unbalance on what French is not: it is not of the first fur (born in ’95), it does not steal the eye for aesthetics (backhand like almost all colleagues, solid from the bottom but the hand does not gladly bring the scalpel), has not exactly burned the stages. Indeed, he wins the first Challenger in 2020, in Rennes, from 328 in the world. For the first victory in an ATP match you have to wait the following year, which coincides with his first meeting with Sinner. The surface does not drive the South Tyrolean crazy: red earth, we are in Lyon and a handful of days is missing at the start of the Roland Garros. It is a 250 that in Rinderknech serves as bread: at the tournament it presents itself from number 125 of the ranking and in its plans there is an acceleration towards the top 100. He is right, after three sets pulled for a match that lasts over two and a half hours: “The most important victory of the career” cheers him and the staff. In the viewfinder, the first of his tennis life has always had participation in the Slam of the house. What over the years, for one reason or another, has seen him protagonist every time: last year he was not playing badly, before kicking the advertising boards. In 2023, however, spilled sparks with Taylor Fritz, during the second round: the American won in the comeback and then sent the provocative kisses to the public who had whistled him throughout the meeting. Arthur did not take it with philosophy: “What did you expect, that they cheered against their compatriot?”.

never tempore

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When he retires, by his own admission, he will rethink with a smile at the years lived at Agricultural and Mechanical University who for a while has been his home. Then he will teach Tennis in Texas: “There he is seen as a team sport: there are two coaches every ten players, and they go to evaluate technique, character and hunger for children from all over the world”. As he had, as soon as I check in stars and stripes. They have always told him to attack and took it literally, if it is true that he never ends a match with less free errors of the opponent. In Rome, two weeks ago, our giant Matteo sent him home, more shiny in the two tie breaks. In Montecarlo instead Rinderknech must be presented without inhibitory brakes: against Navone systematically violated the dribble, without ever stabbing. Result: Ko with the beauty of 66 (sixty -six) free errors, more than triple the opponent. Gentleman of Name, striker always and in any case: Arthur Rinderknech hardly goes unnoticed when the highlights flow. Sinner will have taken note. By the way: the first intersection with the Frenchman lost it, but in the next two he walked without losing even a set. Even a doctor, every now and then, can remedy a lesson.