What would Rinder be like on Earth?

Without a good big adaptation, I feel like it’s going to be difficult...

I remember Rinder last year having problems, especially with his movement. He picked up a few wins here and there, but mostly on clay at altitude, so you have to face reality. And this season, apart from against the very top players, he’s been disappointing.

On Khacha’s side, things are a bit better, but he’s getting slightly caught up by his average level, which is looking less and less impressive compared to the rising competition. He went to play UTS on clay in Nîmes, with a loss to Ruud and a win over Dimitrov. Well, nothing special to report there.

It’s mainly in terms of match-up that this match interests us, because he’s still a steady player in his game, who uses a lot of topspin, which can be quite advantageous against Rinder’s attacking profile. Indeed, Arthur isn’t going to turn into a clay-courter in a week. He will move forward at slightly better‑chosen moments, but Khacha is a grinder looking for new big performances in a big tournament.