WATCH: Angry outburst & self-inflicted injury at French Open forces Arthur Rinderknech to retire mid-match in shocking scenes against Tomas Etcheverry

Arthur Rinderknech (L) and Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Photos: Getty
Arthur Rinderknech (L) and Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Photos: Getty

Arthur Rinderknech's 2024 French Open run came to a shocking end as his emotions got the better of him in the second round. Playing against Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Friday, May 31, Rinderknech retired due to an injury he inflicted on himself in frustration.

Ranked 69th in the world, Rinderknech couldn't have asked for a better start against 28th seed Etcheverry at Roland Garros' Court 7 on Friday. He clinched the first two sets 6-3, 7-6 (8) in front of his home crowd.

The Frenchman, however, lost the plot in the third set as he failed to hold his serve thrice and committed nine unforced errors to let Etcheverry back into the match.

To make matters worse, he kicked the billboard near the stands with his left foot, damaging his big toe in the process. He even received treatment on court but the injury seemed to affect him as Etcheverry raced to a 5-0 lead in the fourth set.

Rinderknech eventually decided to call it quits and shook hands with the Argentinian after throwing his racket away in dejection before limping out of the court.

Watch the entire episode unfold in the video below:

Had Rinderknech beaten Etcheverry, he would have faced Norway's Casper Ruud in the third round of the French Open.


Arthur Rinderknech's elimination leaves only one Frenchman afloat in French Open 2024 singles draw

Arthur Rinderknech at the 2024 French Open. Photo: Getty
Arthur Rinderknech at the 2024 French Open. Photo: Getty

Arthur Rinderknech's elimination in the second round of the 2024 French Open on Friday, May 31, means Corentin Moutet remains the only Frenchman afloat in the singles draw.

The main draw kicked off on Sunday, May 26, with 17 local men. The list included Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils, Gael Monfils, Corentin Moutet, Richard Gasquet, Constant Lestienne, Arthur Rinderknech, Arthur Cazaux and Adrian Mannarino.

Others in the fray were Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Hugo Gatson, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Gregoire Barrere, Alexandre Muller, Harold Mayot, Luca Van Assche, and Terence Atmane.

Out of the 17, only Gasquet, Moutet, Muller, Rinderknech, and Monfils, advanced to the second round. As things stand, Moutet remains the only Frenchman standing among the five others after the second round.

Moutet, unseeded, opened his French Open campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 against 16th seed Nicolas Jarry from Chile. In the second round, he bettered Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 on Thursday, May 30.

He's next scheduled to lock horns with Austria's Sebastian Ofner on Saturday for a spot in the pre-quarterfinals.

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Edited by Anantaajith Raghuraman
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