In the other France-Belgium match this Monday, played at Wimbledon, it was the Blues who won. Blue in every sense of the word since Arthur Cazaux (21 years old, 98th in the world) was playing the very first match of his career in the Temple.
Facing Zizou Bergs (25 years old, 82nd), the Montpellier player delivered a masterful fight to win in five sets (6-1, 6-4, 6-7) [2-7]6-7 [4-7]7-6 [10-8]) and 4:34, in a scenario incomparable with the first qualifying round of the US Open 2023 which had already pitted the two men against each other (victory of Cazaux 6-3, 6-2).
This hard-fought victory couldn’t have come at a better time for the eighth-finalist at the Australian Open, who arrived in West London with no success on grass in three preparation tournaments (‘s-Hertogenbosch, Queen’s and Eastbourne). Worse, since the Dubai tournament at the end of February, Cazaux, caught in a spiral of injuries and poor form, had only won one match in eight tournaments. Dominating the Belgian qualifier, who has climbed around forty places in the rankings since the start of the season, is not an insignificant result.
Author of a perfect start to the match, symbolised by his 13 winning shots in the first set and a success rate behind his first serve close to perfection (91%), the Frenchman, perfectly serene on his serve, only had one break point to erase, giving himself plenty of time to concentrate on his return games. His perfect reading of Bergs’ trajectories gave him six break points, he converted two of them to take the lead with Olympian calm (6-1).
The second set was more closely fought, lasting twice as long as the first (49 minutes instead of 24) but the only break point obtained by Cazaux was the right one while the Belgian grew frustrated as his opponent won his service games, fending off three new break points without trembling.
But the level of the two men continued to tighten and it was almost logical that a tie-break had to separate them in the third set. Bergs approached it flat out, roaring at almost every point won until he pulled away 5 points to 0. The reduction of the score, after 2h07 of play, was then only a formality.
Two points from defeat
In the fourth act, Cazaux had the advantage of serving first. He led the race, without offering the slightest opportunity to break to the opposing team, the two men playing equal in percentage of success behind their first serves (83%). A second decisive game was logically looming. Overexcited, imperial in return and on sharp passing shots, Bergs doubled the stake (7 points to 4), carried by the “Zizou, Zizou!” of his small clan of supporters.
Everything had to be redone for Cazaux in a breathless fifth set that saw him play the tightrope walker, saving at 1-2 a first break point that was almost synonymous with match point, at the end of an exceptional defense point. Then two more at 2-3 by relying on the power of his serve. Conversely, his opportunities to widen the gap were non-existent, Bergs chaining together white service games (3), at 15 or at 30, but never without finding himself on the precipice of a draw.
At 5-5, 0-15 on his serve, the Belgian, caught off-guard in a tough exchange, slipped and called for the trainer, his adductor on fire. Cazaux then offered himself three break points at 0-40 but Bergs brushed them aside one by one with his serve. A golden opportunity seemed to have passed. It was said that a super tie-break would put an end to this arm wrestling match. After coming within two points (two points in this case) of defeat at 5-6, Cazaux threw his heart into it to lead 6 points to 0. But Bergs managed to reduce the score and come back to 8-8, while the Frenchman had two serves to follow at 8-5. A winning return passing shot then a winning serve put an end to the ordeal.
In the second round, Arthur Cazaux will face Alexander Bublik (23rd) also winner in five sets.
