Photo Source: TTV
Arthur Rinderknech has been hampered by tough draws at the majors in 2025. He fell to Frances Tiafoe in Australia in the first round, then Jannik Sinner got him at Roland-Garros in round one. At Wimbledon, he didn’t let another tough draw stop him.
The Frenchman stunned third-seeded Alexander Zverev for his first career Top 5 win, 7-6(3) 6-7(8) 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4.
"What a moment, such emotions," Rinderknech said. "My legs are still shaking, I can't do it anymore – I'm just so happy the match is finished."
72nd-ranked Rinderknech needed two days to finish off the German – the pair split two sets on Centre Court on Monday, stopping due to curfew restrictions just prior to 11 PM. On Tuesday Rinderknech won the third set on the strength of a break, but he could not close out Zverev in the fourth, despite getting within two points of the win in the fourth-set breaker. In the final set Rinderknech had the better chances in the decider, even though Zverev has much more experience in fifth sets at the majors. Zverev was playing in his 37th five-setter at the majors; Rinderknech was playing his fourth.
Rinderknech, a former all-American at Texas A&M University, had a break point for 2-1 but could not convert. After holding his serve all the way to 5-4, Rinderknech had triple match points with Zverev serving at 4-5 0-40. He converted the third to clinch the victory in four hours and 40 minutes.
The 29-year-old won a long rally and took advantage of the fact that Zverev was passive in the final point, as he wrenched a backhand crosscourt winner and fell to the court on his chest in jubilation.
Musetti Falls at First Hurdle
Zverev wasn't the only Top 10 seed to fall on Day 2. Lorenzo Musetti, the No. 7 seed who reached his maiden Wimbledon semifinal last year, was taken out by qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1.
"Really bad day honestly at the office," Musetti said. "I came here, well, at the last minute. Of course, today I was feeling that I didn't have that much of good feelings with my game honestly, even the physical side in terms of energies, what it takes to play a match like this. Not much to say."
Musetti had not played since injuring his left leg and retiring from his Roland-Garros semifinal with Carlos Alcaraz in Paris.
"I was struggling to feel lcomfortable on the court from the beginning. Going and going with the match, I was really losing focus and was not reactive on the ball when I was coming out from the serve. Even in the lateral movements, which normally I know how to move, today seems like I never played on this surface."