The match between Francesco Passaro and Arthur Rinderknech does not end today. The Italian and the Frenchman, in fact, were stopped at a score of 7-6(3) 5-6 in favor of the transalpine player, but with the serve in favor of the blue player to extend the match to the third. All in a perpetually variable atmosphere on the Pietrangeli, but always of great support in favor of the only one of our players capable of passing the qualifications for the main draw of the Italian Internationals.
In practice, (almost) nothing significant happens against Pietrangeli in the first set. In fact, the only two games fought were the first and sixth, one on Passaro’s serve, the other on Rinderknech’s. In both cases we go to the advantages, but without break points available. When the set gets hot the rain comes and stops everything, after more than an hour there is the restart. At the tie-break there was a minibreak for the Frenchman, with the Italian committing even gross errors, especially with the forehand (tremendous one that ends up in the net at 2-3 to make it 3-3). It ends 7-3.
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the second partial is at that point a green light for Rinderknech, who manages to draw strength from the fact that he is more accustomed to these levels. He finds the break in the fourth game, and from that moment Passaro is always in difficulty on his serve. In particular he has to save a ball at 5-1 and also a couple of match points at 5-2, then he gives a jolt to Pietrangeli who has open umbrellas, but also the return of people who previously took refuge who knows where. Thus comes the counterbreak at 30 at 5-4.
To define the transalpine as unhappy is an understatement: he becomes nervous, and at the same time Passaro’s tennis improves. Another break arrives, but the intensity of the rain also increases: players back in the locker rooms. And, after two hours of waiting, directly to the hotels.
