Mulhousien Arnaud Merklé qualified for the first final of his career in the Super 300 tournament on the world circuit in Lucknow (India). The 2021 French champion will compete this Sunday against his Bordeaux predecessor, Lucas Claerbout, titled in 2018.
After Thom Gicquel, Arnaud Merklé? Like his comrade from Red Star Mulhouse, winner last March of the Basel Swiss Open in mixed with Delphine Delrue, the 2021 French singles champion will win this Sunday morning – around 10:30 a.m. French – in Lucknow (India) his first World Tour Super 300 tournament?
Saturday noon (in France), the 2018 European junior champion, 79th in the world, in any case climbed to the final of the Syed Modi India International 2022 by winning his 3rd duel in less than two months with the Indian. Mithun Manjunath, 121st (21-19, 17-21, 21-9).
The two men had so far had a victory everywhere: the success of the RSM player on December 2 in the round of 16 of the Wales Open in Cardiff which he had won (17-21, 21- 15, 21-12), the Asian responded last week by eliminating him in the first round of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open (Super 500) in New Delhi (16-21, 21-15, 10-21).
The first two oppositions had been tight. The third was just as much and lasted 1h24′ this Saturday. But by dint of patience and, a little, malice, the Haut-Rhinois ended up getting the best of his rival. His gun start in the 3rd set (6-0, 14-6) made the difference.
“I suffered a lot physically in the second set, I suffered. He played well, made me run and attacked well. So, at the end of this second set, I was not very well mentally and physically. I broke the game a bit, I went less in the exchange, I lost the points very quickly and that allowed me to breathe. This tactic worked. I used what juice I had left to put a lot of entry pressure on him in the third. I took a long lead and he was never able to pick up. I had it worn out. »
A small psychological ascendancy
In the final, Arnaud Merklé will find the Bordelais Lucas Claerbout, champion of France 2018 and 74th, who also had to work to get out in the semi-finals the Irishman Nhat Nguyen, 44th, also in 1h24 (15-21, 21-18, 21 -15). The Mulhousien will leave if not with the favors of the prognosis, at least with a psychological ascendancy after having beaten his compatriot several times lately, both on the national scene and internationally (the last time at the beginning of August in the 2nd round of the Victor Denmark Masters – 19-21, 21-16, 21-18).
“A Franco-French match is always complicated to manage”, tempers the Alsatian all the same, “Lucas plays well. He had a good tournament and was already playing very well last week. Me, I played well this week. I am happy. We know each other. In Denmark, I won in three super tight sets after a big game. I expect the same. I am ready, focused. »
