LONDON — Taylor Fritz advised his Wimbledon opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, to “have a pleasant flight house” after beating him in a second-round match Thursday.
The pair bought right into a little bit of a back-and-forth on the web after the Thirteenth-seeded American’s 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over France’s Rinderknech on the All England Membership. This was a rematch of a 2023 French Open contest that Fritz received in entrance of a rowdy partisan crowd, which he shushed afterward.
Rinderknech made a reference to that earlier matchup through the lead-up to Thursday’s assembly, and Fritz heard about it. And was not happy.
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“I am a really chill particular person. I do not do something that might rub individuals the unsuitable method, so when somebody form of simply goes out of their strategy to take a shot at me, then I am not simply going to take it,” mentioned Fritz, who’s from California. “It gave me the additional hearth to win.”
So when it was time for the postmatch handshake Thursday, there have been some phrases exchanged.
“I simply mentioned, ‘Have a pleasant flight house,'” Fritz recounted.
Based on Fritz, Rinderknech responded by mentioning that he is nonetheless round in doubles.
“I mentioned, ‘Oh, congrats. Good for you.’ Then he began performing like, ‘Why are you blah, blah, blah?’ I am like, ‘Dude, what you mentioned. You already know what you mentioned.’ Do not disrespect me earlier than the match after which count on me to be all good after the match,” mentioned Fritz, who will tackle Twenty fourth-seeded Alejandro Tabilo of Chile on Saturday for a spot within the fourth spherical. “That is not the way it works.”
At Roland Garros final yr, spectators booed and whistled at Fritz after he eradicated Rinderknech, who was the final French man within the subject. Fritz put a finger to his lips, then unfold his arms to egg on the group and yelled, “Come on! I wish to hear it!”
