The poor performance of Richard Gasquet, Thursday in the second match of the Blues against the Czech Republic, had pushed SĂ©bastien Grosjean to a bet for Saturday: to relegate the most experienced element of the France group to the observers' bench, to launch in the big bath the bizut Arthur Rinderknech, never appeared on a court before with the tricolor tunic on the back.
🇫🇷 Arthur Rinderknech entered the court for his first in Blue against Cameron Norrie.
Go @arthurrinder đź’Ş # DavisCupFinals
© Antoine Couvercelle / FFT pic.twitter.com/9izIFKbWL9
- FFT (@FFTennis) November 27, 2021
At 26 years old, the current fourth best French player on the circuit (58th in the world) was given immense pressure in his hands, that of preserving the French team from virtual elimination in the race to the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup, while waiting for the Herbert-Mahut duo to enter the track in Innsbruck (Austria) for round 3. Because Adrian Mannarino had just fallen facing stronger than him against Daniel Evans (5-7, 4-6) , opening of this duel between France and Great Britain.
But against Cameron Norrie, 12th in the ATP, the march was a little too high for the Var, beaten in straight sets (2-6, 6-7 [8-10]), not without having offered a good resistance in the second round thanks in particular to a good quality of service.
Now cross your fingers
Rinderknech finally passed the racket to the left against the talented British left-hander, winner of the Masters 1000 at Indian Wells in mid-October, while the French novice made too many unforced errors to hope to emerge victorious from this big challenge (25 in all). Grosjean's bet did not work, and the Blues find themselves in a situation from which they are unlikely to come out qualified (quarters scheduled from November 29 to December 2).
If mathematically, it is still possible, it will be necessary to finish among the two best second of this group stage with six groups.
But after their hotly contested match against the Czech Republic (2-1 victory), with four sets left in passing, to which are added the four on Saturday, the French are in a very unfavorable waiver.
While waiting for the other hens to deliver their truth, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut will deliver a duel which remains important against the British duo Jo Salisbury and Neal Skupsky, respectively 3rd and 20th in the ATP ranking in doubles.
They will have to win at all costs in two dry sets, otherwise the Blues would not even have to cross their fingers.
