FILE PHOTO: Tennis – ATP Cup – Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia – January 2, 2022 France’s Arthur Rinderknech in action during his group stage match against Russia’s Roman Safiullin REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
January 14, 2022
ADELAIDE (Reuters) – Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech reached his first ATP final with a comprehensive 6-1 6-3 victory over compatriot Corentin Moutet at the Adelaide International 2 tournament on Friday.
World Number 58 Rinderknech, who sent down six aces, won 90% of points on his first serve and broke his opponent four times in a controlled display on Centre Court to win in 76 minutes.
“It’s a great achievement,” the 26-year-old Rinderknech told reporters. “I’m really happy to be in the final. It’s a new step again. I made the semi-final in Kitzbuhel last summer. Now final here for my first tournament of the year.”
The 6ft 5in Rinderknech said he was pleased with his serve, which he considered one of his big weapons.
“If you ask my opponents, they would say yes. Of course my serve is tough to return, but I think I’m breaking the serves of my opponents in every match almost every set,” Rinderknech said.
“It means I’m capable of playing pretty solid from the back, putting pressure on the guy’s serves.”
Up next for Rinderknech is either fourth seed Marin Cilic or Australian wild card Thanasai Kokkinakis, who meet in the other semi-final later on Friday.
“Both of them are such great players. Cilic has a lot more experience than Thanasi and me definitely,” Rinderknech said of the 2014 U.S. Open champion.
“He’s the favourite. Now he’s going to play against a young and talented player, Australian, with the home crowd. Of course it’s going to be a hard match.”
Earlier, Alison Riske advanced to the final of the WTA event at the same venue after Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek withdrew due to an abdominal injury.
Riske meets either Coco Gauff or Madison Keys in an all-American title clash on Saturday.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
