Cazaux eliminates Arnaldi and sets up an all-French duel at the ATP 250 tournament in Hangzhou

Nearly a month after his last match, which took place in the third round of the US Open qualifiers against Jan-Lennard Struff, Arthur Cazaux returned to competition at the ATP 250 tournament in Hangzhou.

In the first round, the Frenchman faced Matteo Arnaldi, ranked 73rd in the world, battling for a spot in the round of 16. Searching for his first main draw victory on the primary circuit since the tournament in Kitzbühel in July, Cazaux had to fight hard.

The 23-year-old player secured an early break to clinch the first set. However, Arnaldi responded well in the second, breaking serve in the first returning game to lead 3-0.

In the end, it was the third set that decided the match between the two players. It remained uncertain for a long time, ultimately coming down to mental fortitude. In the final game, the 2024 Australian Open quarterfinalist made the difference to win (6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in 2h39).

Ranked 84th in the ATP, he thus reached the round of 16, where he will face his fellow countryman Corentin Moutet, ranked 39th in the world and exempt from the first round. Moutet won their only previous encounter in the first round of Roland-Garros in 2023 (6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4).