Rolex Paris Masters: “A player with character”, Van Assche praised after his qualification in the last four
The Australian salutes the mental strength of the Frenchman, qualified for the semi-finals
Quick Look
- Rinki Hijikata, from qualifying and winner of Novak Djokovic in the second round, lost to Luca Van Assche in the quarter-finals in Paris.
- The Australian recognizes the superiority of the Frenchman in decisive moments.
- Sébastien Grosjean salutes the mental strength of Van Assche, now in the semi-final.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Rinki Hijikata emerged from qualifying and beat Novak Djokovic in the second round before facing Luca Van Assche in the quarter-finals in Paris.
Beaten, but not defeated. Coming from qualifying and defeating Novak Djokovic in the second round, Rinki Hijikata praised the performance of his winner of the day, Luca Van Assche, capable of raising his level in the decisive moments to reach the semi-finals. “With the new balls, at 2-0 in the third set, he started to serve better and put more weight in his shots. He was more aggressive and relied well on the public. He responded in key moments,” admitted the Australian, at the end of a tactical duel where each tried to thwart the other’s plans. “It was a game of cat and mouse. I varied the rhythms, but he found very good answers. In the last game, apart from a double fault, I don't think I did much wrong. He achieved very good returns and passing. I took responsibility and believed in my game.”
He shows the mental strength to bounce back and find himself in the semi-final in Paris.
Sébastien Grosjean
Present at the Nanterre headquarters, Sébastien Grosjean also appreciated the Frenchman’s performance…
Open Questions
- What was the exact score of the match between Hijikata and Van Assche?
- Where will the semi-finals take place and who will Luca Van Assche play against?
