The Blues are (a little) resisting in New York. They were 24 in the running in the men’s and women’s draws. There were four left in the third round. Adrian Mannarino, against the formidable Frances Tiafoe and Benjamin Bonzi, against the surprising qualified Dominic Stricker, tried Friday evening to continue the adventure. This Saturday, Arthur Rinderknech and Clara Burel will try to hoist the French colors high. With nice challenges offered. Last survivor among the Blues, the 22-year-old Breton outclassed, in the second round, the Czech Karolina Pliskova, seeded 25 (6-4, 6-2). Admittedly, the finalist of the 2016 edition has been in the midst of a crisis in recent weeks, but the performance remains notable. Place now in the world number 2, Aryna Sabalenka, for a place in eighth. A mountain to climb against the semi-finalist of the last two editions and winner of the Australian Open in January.
Burel will in any case try to do better than last year. La Rennaise, who is playing her third 3rd round in a Major, had been outclassed at this same stage of the competition by the Belarusian in New York (6-0, 6-2). The 62nd in the world wants to believe in her lucky star: “ I come with a game that is a little clearer and a little more fresh. “Last year, she had to compete in three qualifying rounds, before tackling the Sabalenka mountain…
Arthur Rinderknech, for his part, qualified at the expense of Matteo Berrettini, forced to retire after spraining his ankle at the end of the second set. Before this twist of fate, the current 73rd in the world had impressed leading 6-4, 5-3 against the Italian semi-finalist of the 2019 edition. Monfils, his first 3rd round in a Grand Slam. All, finally, without physical glitch. “ It’s been maybe a month, a month and a half that I manage to play games again without saying to myself “how am I going to play the next one?” “Blowed the Varois. After a very encouraging 2022 season, which had seen him reach 42nd at the ATP, his best ranking to date, he has been struggling in recent months. A wrist injury and the Covid in December 2022, mononucleosis in January and February this year, then pubalgia. Bad memories to definitely exorcise
