Sixth seed Andrey Rublev expressed disappointment with his behavior following a third-round loss to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi at the French Open. Arnaldi, 23, saved a set point in the opening set and then dominated his opponent, securing a 7-6(8), 6-2, 6-4 victory to match his best Grand Slam performance.
Rublev, visibly frustrated, struggled to maintain composure, displaying his anger by hitting his legs with his racket and kicking his courtside bench as the match slipped away. "Completely disappointed with the way I behaved, the way I performed, and I don't remember behaving worse in a Grand Slam ever," Rublev said, acknowledging his inability to control his frustrations on court. He admitted that his behavior negatively impacted his performance and boosted Arnaldi’s confidence.
Arnaldi, solid throughout the match, barely made any errors, achieving one of the biggest wins of his career. Despite Rublev’s attempts, he couldn't break through Arnaldi’s defense, resulting in his early exit from the tournament. Arnaldi will now face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Zhang Zhizhen for a place in the quarter-finals.
In another highlight, World number two Jannik Sinner advanced to the fourth round by defeating Russia’s Pavel Kotov 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Sinner, recovering from a recent hip injury, showed resilience and precision, only facing one break point throughout the match. He emphasized the importance of rest and physical preparation as he progresses in the tournament.
Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas also made it to the fourth round, defeating China’s Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Tsitsipas, the 2021 finalist, delivered a dominant performance with over 30 winners, setting up a match against Matteo Arnaldi. Zhang, unable to replicate his previous year’s success, struggled to create break-point opportunities against the ninth-ranked Greek.
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