Wimbledon 2025 continues to witness some heroic performances as Arthur Rinderknech of France defeated third-seeded Alexander Zverev in a five-set match.
With a victory at the All-England Club, Rinderknech has now entered the second round of Wimbledon 2025. He defeated Zverev 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 to register his top-five victory.
The Frenchman and German were locked at one-set-all when play was suspended on Monday night due to the 11 pm Wimbledon curfew. When play resumed on Tuesday with the roof open, Rinderknech came out firing to reel off the third set before he recovered from squandering a 5/3 lead in the fourth-set tie-break to win in four hours and 44 minutes.
The 29-year-old secured the victory on his third match point when he played a backhanded shot, one of the 79 he smashed during the match. The World No. 72 collapsed to the ground and then returned to his feet to embrace the roars from the Centre Court Crowd.
Zverev entered the clash holding a 6-2 record on grass this year, reaching the title match in Stuttgart and the semi-finals in Halle. Yet he was unable to move Rinderknech enough in the majority of the baseline exchanges.
The 29-year-old Arthur Rinderknech, who upset World No. 10 Ben Shelton at The Queen’s Club earlier this month, outlasted Zverev in the rallies and was sharp when moving forward, pressurising the German with his clean net play.
The Frenchman will now clash against Cristian Garin in the second round and will aim to enter the third round of Wimbledon 2025. If he manages to enter the third round, it will mark his first time entry at Wimbledon.
Zverev’s wait for a first major title goes on. The German is the fourth Top 10 player to fall at this year’s Championships, joining Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune, and Daniil Medvedev.
Meanwhile, on No. 1 Court, Taylor Fritz completed his comeback against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to survive a tough battle.
Like Rinderknech`s match with Zverev, play was suspended on Monday night due to the Wimbledon curfew, with the scores level at 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(6). Fritz had rallied from 1/5 in the fourth-set tie-break to force a decider, and with the roof open, used that momentum on Tuesday to triumph in the final set 6-4.
The fifth-seeded American, who is now 13-11 in fifth sets, arrived in London on Saturday night after winning his fourth Eastbourne title. Taylor Fritz will try to earn his 10th win of the grass-court season against Hertogenbosch champion Gabriel Diallo on Wednesday.
(With IANS Inputs)
