The only French survivor of the women’s table, Clara Burel qualified for the third round of the US Open tennis on Thursday by taking out a seed, before being joined by her compatriot Arthur Rinderknech. Four of the 24 French registered men and women already have their ticket for the round of 16.
Recent finalist of the Lausanne tournament, Burel (N.62) offered herself, with panache, the Czech Karolina Pliskova (N.25), 6-4, 6-2. She is already guaranteed to do at least as well as in the 2022 edition, where she had already passed two laps at Flushing Meadows. From the start of the match, Burel played committed tennis, but also effective (only 14 unforced errors, double for his opponent), at ease in long exchanges against an uninspired Pliskova. The Frenchwoman also shone in return, especially on the second ball, when her opponent lacked sharpness on the raise.
“The idea was to start the match strong by being super solid from the bottom and to try to attack him as soon as possible,” said the Breton after her match. “It worked well.” While many players don’t enjoy the noisy atmosphere of the US Open, the Rennaise feels good there. “I love being here,” she explained. The march promises to be high, however, in the next round, because the Breton has an appointment with the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who easily beat the Briton Jodie Burrage (N.96), 6-3, 6-2 on Thursday.
Sabalenka has reached, at least, the semi-finals in her last four Grand Slam outings, with a win at the Australian Open. “I can’t wait to find her at the same stage of the competition” as last year at the US Open (6-0, 6-2 defeat), commented the Frenchwoman. “I’m coming a little fresher (she had to play three qualifying rounds last year), with a little clearer game.”
Among men, Arthur Rinderknech, 73rd player in the world, also joined the third round, benefiting from the abandonment on injury of the Italian Matteo Berrettini (36th), who twisted his right ankle in the second set. The Frenchman was leading the match 6-4, 5-3 when Berrettini got injured. At 28, Rinderknech had never passed the second round in a Grand Slam tournament. He will face either his compatriot Gaël Monfils (162nd) or the Russian Andrey Rublev (8th) on Saturday. For Berrettini, who accumulates injuries, it’s a new blow.
In March 2022, the Roman had wrist surgery and had already missed the clay-court season. He then forfeited just before his first round at Wimbledon due to a positive Covid test. As for Rinderknech, he brings the French men’s contingent to three in the third round, with Adrian Mannarino and Benjamin Bonzi, both qualified on Wednesday. In 2022, the Parisian Corentin Moutet had reached the round of 16 among the French engaged in the men’s draw, while Caroline Garcia had climbed to the semi-finals. Both were eliminated this year in the first round.
The French side still have two cards in their game in the second round, in the person of veteran Gaël Monfils and young hopeful Arthur Fils. The latter, who is coming off his first Grand Slam success against the N.24 seed, the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, is opposed to the Italian Matteo Arnaldi (N.61). As for Gaël Monfils, he will have to beat the Russian Andrey Rublev, eighth player in the world, to be able to play in a 100% French round of 16 against Arthur Rinderknech.
