Rinderknech makes it through the first round without a hitch at Delray Beach
Arthur Rinderknech has qualified for the second round of the ATP 250 tournament in Delray Beach.
Initially scheduled to face Gabriel Diallo, the Canadian eventually forfeited the match to lucky loser Dmitry Popko, ranked 208th in the world and representing Kazakhstan, who stood in the Frenchman's way.
Without too much trouble and in two sets, the 65th-ranked player did the job (6-2, 6-4) and reached the second round.
Rinderknech will have to beat Cameron Norrie, who defeated Zachary Svajda (7-5, 6-4), to reach the quarter-finals.
The two men have already faced each other twice, with the Briton emerging victorious both times, in the quarter-finals in Lyon in 2021 and in the Davis Cup the same year.
Lacking confidence since the start of the season, Rinderknech will be looking to string together two wins in the same tournament for the first time since the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 in October (victories over Machac and Michelsen).
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