A majority of the top-ranked athletes have decided to delay their entry into the hard court season. While there’s still time for the Paris Olympics to unleash the action, America has a show to keep them busy. ATP star Arthur Rinderknech from France is looking forward to beginning his run at the ATP Atlanta with a showdown against the local guy J.J. Wolf.

Paving his way through the qualifiers, the American pro has already been through two showdowns in the ongoing tournament. However, his rival, the Frenchman, will be starting off fresh. But who among these has better odds of winning? Let’s find out!

Arthur Rinderknech vs JJ Wolf: Preview

Arthur Rinderknech

Arthur Rinderknech is set to resume his hard-court journey with ATP Atlanta after going through a tough time in 2024. The ATP star managed to secure four wins in a total of nine matches on this surface, setting his win-loss record to a score of 4-5. Looking at his most recent participation, the 29-year-old faced a close defeat against Aleksandar Kovacevic with a final scoreline of 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. This happened during the second round of the Infosys Hall of Fame Open at Newport.

Looking at his performance stats for the ongoing season, the Frenchman served 28 aces and committed 8 double faults. His first serve has been strong enough, with a 65% success rate and a 73% win rate on first serve points. However, his second serve points stood at a lower 39%. On the return side, he has struggled with a 22% success rate on first-serve return points won and a 45% success rate on second-serve return points. Additionally, he has had 11 break-point opportunities but converted only 18% of them.

JJ Wolf

JJ Wolf, on the other hand, paved his way through the qualifying round to register for his upcoming match against Arthur Rinderknech at the ATP Atlanta. The American recently secured his place in the main draw by winning against J.C. Shang in the qualifiers. This was made possible because of his straight-set victory with a final scoreline of 6-4, 6-2.

Looking at his numbers in the ongoing season, Wolf has participated in a total of 14 matches on hard courts and therefore finds himself disappointed with a win-loss record of 5-9. His serving statistics are also quite balanced, with 27 massive aces. However, besides the strong serve, he also committed 18 double faults, a point that brings a sense of concern about his position. His first serve has a 55% success rate, as he managed to win 66% of the points when his first serve is in play.

Rinderknech vs Wolf: Head-to-head

The Head-to-head stats between Arthur Rinderknech and JJ Wolf remain vacant as they have never received a chance to go against each other. While Rinderknech generally appears in the main draws, his upcoming match rival explores the depths of ATP Challengers events. Because of the fact that they travel different paths, their meeting didn’t commence so far.

Prediction: Rinderknech to win in straight sets

Arthur Rinderknech has several advantages that could help him win in straight sets against J.J. Wolf. The Frenchman is ranked higher at #86 compared to Wolf’s #107. This makes it clear that he has been more consistent and successful on the ATP Tour. He also has a stronger serve, which helped him win 74.5% of his second-serve points compared to Wolf’s 64.1%. Along with that, Rinderknech has more experience on hard courts, having played 142 matches versus Wolf’s 162 (a majority of them being played on Challengers events), giving him better adaptability on this surface.

Rinderknech’s recent form is also better, as he has won 2 of his last 5 matches, while Wolf has won 3 of his last 4 (including qualifiers). Despite Wolf entering the main draw as a lucky loser, this could impact his momentum negatively. Rinderknech has earned his spot and brings more experience against higher-ranked opponents. If he manages to unleash his strong serve and hard court experience, the Frenchman is likely to win in straight sets.