Less than 24 jours after ousting Lucas Pouille, Arthur Rinderknech (90th) experienced a similar scenario by coming back into the match after a bad start, against British Billy Harris (185th) : 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 (2h42). « I am satisfied to have won, coming back into the march, of my physical shape, because I feel good, but I have to play my game instead of suffering when I have to keep focusing on my plan», explained top seed of the tournament, mentally a bit exhausted after two big battles in a raw.
He will find out in semi final Otto Virtanen (131st), last year winner in Lille and once again very impressive against French Grégoire Barrère (124th) to knock him in two sets (6-2, 6-2), and in hardly more than one hour. Capturing Pau Challenger last week, the Finnish confirms his good start of 2024 season.
The other semi-final will opposed Pierre-Hugues Herbert (166th) to Belgium Joris De Loore. Flemish delivered another very long match (2h37) to take down Moldovan Radu Albot (152th), in three sets: 6-3, 4-6, 7-6. After taking three hours, then two hours and seven minutes to successively upset Zizou Bergs and Titouan Droguet, De Loore is the player who spent the most time on courts since the beginning of the week (7h40). An opportunity rather than an issue according to him: « It is positive since I did not play recently so many matches, it is good for confidence to win tough matches against good players, I think it is indeed the best thing», commented player coming from Bruges.
He will so find out Pierre-Hugues Herbert (166th), he played in 2017 Davis Cup final during the double match, in Lille. The French had to deliver a strong fight to overcome his compatriot Giovanni Mpetchi Perricard (170th, 8th seed of the tournament) with a double tie-break (7-6, 7-6).
The player coached by Emmanuel Planque did not lost everything, since he reached double final with Titouan Droguet, and will be opposed today to the team Harrison/Willis.
