Roland-Garros (men): Andrey Rublev eliminated in the 3rd round by Matteo Arnaldi, Sinner and Tsitsipas ensure

Here is a first contender – modest, but all the same – thrown out of the title race at Roland-Garros. Andrey Rublev never had a say this Friday on the Suzanne-Lenglen court. He was silenced by the surprising Matteo Arnaldi, 35th in the world (7-6, 6-2, 6-4).

The Italian and the Russian offered a first round of an impressive level, concluded at 8-6 in the decisive game, which announced a big battle between the winner of the Masters 1000 in Madrid and one of the hopes of Italian tennis. On the contrary, after this big showdown that he lost, Andrey Rublev (N.6) collapsed physically and mentally, while the Transalpine continued to set a strong tempo.

Dominated in the rally, undermined by Arnaldi’s big serve, Rublev lost control at 5-2 against him in the second set, repeatedly throwing his racket to the ground and hitting his chair. Nothing to disrupt Arnaldi’s progress, who said at the end of the match: “I think I played the best tennis of my life.”

Held at bay in the third round, the Italian was able to remain calm, reaching the round of 16 for the first time at Roland-Garros at the age of 23. Opportunistic, he took his opponent’s serve on the only break point he got at 3-3, before finishing with a shutout on his put in to finish disgusting his opponent. After having already dismissed Arthur Fils and Alexandre Muller, he put in a very good performance and awaits Stefanos Tsitsipas or Zhizhen Zhang in the round of 16.

Jannik Sinner continues to be untouchable on Parisian clay. The Italian was never worried during his 3rd round against Pavel Kotov this Friday (6-4, 6-4, 6-4). He never lost his serve, and did not have to work to gain the upper hand over his opponent, who was only able to compete in fits and starts relying on his enormous ball striking.

A break in the 1st set, a break in the 2nd set and a break in the 3rd set were enough for the Transalpine to advance to the round of 16. While managing, Sinner multiplied the powerful returns on the second serve ball, and delivered a mountain of drop shots that Kotov was rarely able to return. Sinner will face Corentin Moutet or Sebastian Ofner in the round of 16.

The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas did not provide details on joining the round of 16. Opposed to the Chinese player Zhizhen Zhang, the player was imperial by winning in three sets (6-3, 6-3, 6-1) in 1h31. He will face the Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round.

After losing a set against Daniel Altmaier in the second round, the number 9 seed did not do anything by half measures by winning 83% of points on his first ball, not conceding a single break point. With 30 winning shots and 15 unforced errors, he remained very solid and won easily by converting 5 of his 6 break points.