The Italian Matteo Arnaldi, world number 105delivered the first major blow at the Madrid tennis tournament by eliminating the Norwegian in the second round Casper Ruudthird favorite but opened in Caja Mágica with a defeat without discussion, for 6-3 and 6-4.
Arnaldi’s next rival is the Spaniards Jaume Munarwho defeated Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (3) and withdrew due to an ankle injury.
Arnaldi, 22, had not achieved a victory on the professional circuit until last week in Barcelona, which is Benoit Paire.
But against a first-rate rival, Ruud, he extended the best week of his tennis career and left a good impression on the Madrid clay.
The two-time Grand Slam finalist was content to win the first set without a problem, after fighting back at 3-1, withstood Ruud’s return and added another three-game break, which included a new ‘break’, to win in partial.
In an enthusiastically welcomed parallel setback on the Arantxa Sánchez Vicario track, Arnaldi earned another break at the start of the second set and confirmed it blank on his serve. Meanwhile, Ruud did not save on mistakes.
The turning point of the match may have come when the Italian, who was 2-0 and 0-40 in the second set, lost that game. But the Norwegian couldn’t do it himself either, slow in his movements and very imprecise in his shots.
Arnaldi easily maintained his lead until 5-3, when he broke to win. Ruud came close at 5-4 and that’s where his fight ended. He bid farewell to Madrid, heading to Rome and Roland Garros, where he played in last year’s final.
The Norwegian did not perform well last month, since he won the Estoril tournament. He then lost in the Monte Carlo round of 16 against German Jan-Lennard Struff (100 ATP) and in Barcelona against Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo (32).
Munar, Arnaldi’s next rival, won the first set against Greiekspoor in a ‘tie-break’, but the game was interrupted by an injury to the Dutchman, who sprained his ankle trying to hit a volley .
Source: La Verdad
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