Humbert did not exist
This Monday, Ugo Humbert again became number one in France in the ATP rankings. But it did not show on court 5 on Tuesday. Truly not. Despite its seeded status (N.29), the Habs had to face a big entry customer with Matteo Berrettini on the other side of the net. We could certainly expect a complicated meeting for the Lorrain, but not to see him sink in this way. Totally dominated from one end of the game to the other, he was swept away in three sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in 2h28.
Beyond the result, it was this non-match that disappointed to say the least. Humbert made his case worse by being totally ineffective on the most important points. As proof, he was unable to convert a single one of his seven break points, which could have allowed him to doubt the 2019 semi-finalist at least. Matteo Berrettini did not benefit from many more break points (9), but he still took the service of Messin 5 times.
It is therefore a new disappointment for the Blues, and for Ugo Humbert in Grand Slam, already out in the 1st round at Wimbledon (by Jason Kubler) two months ago and who has now not won a single match at the US Open since 2020. He then lost against … Berrettini.
Rinderknech quickly done, well done
French victories are rare in this beginning of the tournament, so the slightest success is good to take. Arthur Rinderknech is having a fairly difficult season, but he gave himself a good breath of fresh air by passing the first round of the US Open.
With Diego Schwartzman, he had inherited a rather favorable draw, as Argentina has been unrecognizable in recent months. From an abyssal weakness in service (32% of points won on his second ball), Schwartzman has never been able to compete. Rinderknech broke him eight times to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in 2:08.
Parry always in the hard
There will be no Franco-French duel between Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry at the US Open. Even before the entry into the running of the number 1 tricolor, Parry, 88th in the world, was indeed eliminated in the 1st round on Tuesday, dryly beaten by the Briton Katie Boulter (61st), 6-4, 6-0.
Facing the girlfriend of Australian player Alex de Minaur, who had already beaten her this year in qualifying in Indian Wells, the Boulonnaise led 3-2 in the 1st set, before taking the water afterwards, losing nine of the last ten games of the match. She thus confirms her difficulties on hard this season, a surface on which she has not won a single match on the main circuit in 2023.
After the eliminations on Monday of Fiona Ferro, Varvara Gracheva and Alizé Cornet, French women’s tennis is currently at 0/4 in this US Open. All hopes now rest on Caroline Garcia, Clara Burel and Elsa Jacquemot.