Tag Archives: ATP

Francisco Cerundolo Upsets Alexander Zverev to Reach Madrid Open Quarterfinals

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Francisco Cerundolo has reached his fourth ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

The 25-year-old Argentine professional tennis player earned his third Top 5 win on Tuesday at the  Madrid Open, after upsetting World No. 5 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4.

Francisco CerundoloCerundolo saved both break points he faced and won 79 percent (33/42) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to overcome the two-time Madrid champ Zverev after 90 minutes.

Cerundolo is the first Argentine quarterfinalist in Madrid since Juan Martin del Potro reached the last eight in the Spanish capital in 2012.

Cerundolo, who captured a tour-level clay-court title in Bastad in 2022, will aim to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 semifinal (Miami 2022) when he takes on American Taylor Fritz.

If Cerundolo defeats Fritz, he will move to No. 17 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He eached a previous career-high No. 19 in June last year.

Fritz defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(2), 6-4 in 88 minutes to advance to his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal this season.

Roberto Carballes Baena Defeats Pabel Kotov to Reach Marrakech Open Final

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Roberto Carballes Baena is one win away from his third ATP Tour title…

The 31-year-old Spanish tennis player and the tournament’s defending champion advanced to the final of the Marrakech Open by defeating Russia’s Pavel Kotov in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, at Royal Tennis Club de Marrakech.

Pedro MartinezCarballes Baena, ranked No 64, will play the Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, who defeated Argentina’s Mariano Navone, the No 7 seed.

In the previous rounds of the Marrakech tournament, Carballes Baena won against Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante (6-2, 2-0 ret.), No 3 seed Daniel Evans (6-4, 7-6 (3)) and American qualifier Nicolas Moreno De Alboran (6-4, 4-6, 6-4).

Kotov, ranked No 68, beat Moroccan wildcard Elliot Benchetrit (7-5, 6-3), Italian Flavio Cobolli, the No 8 seed (6-1, 7-6 (5)) and Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini (6-1, 6-2) earlier in the tournament.

Carballes Baena previously claimed the 2018 Ecuador Open and 2023 Grand Prix Hassan II titles.

Pedro Martinez Edges Past Defending Champion Casper Ruud to Reach Estoril Open Final

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Pedro Martinez has pulled off the upset while logging his first win against an ATP Top 10 player …

The 26-year-old Spanish professional tennis player reached the final of the Estoril Open by edging past Norway’s Casper Ruud, the top seed and defending champion, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Clube de Ténis do Estoril on Saturday evening.

Pedro MartinezIn what was a match-of-the-week contender, the pair battled it out for three hours, seven minutes in the semifinal clash – well over the length of Ruud’s previous two matches combined.

Both played at a high level, with Ruud coming back from 5-1 down in the deciding set, including an epic 16-minute game at 5-2 that saw Ruud overcome three match points.

Martinez, however, played brilliant attacking tennis, and now moves into his third ATP final. He is on a nine-match winning streak as well, having claimed the Challenger in Girona last week.

“If I wanted to win I had to play my best, and even if like this, I might not win,” said Martinez after his victory over Ruud. “At the end I was a little bit nervous, but I’m happy I got the win.”

This was the first top 10 victory for world No 77 Martinez in seven attempts. Next up, he’ll face another top 10 player in Hubert Hurkacz, the second seed.

“Casper is a top 10, Hubert is a top 10,” declared Martinez. “For sure if I want to win again it’s going to be a big battle, I’m going to give everything.”

Earlier in the tournament, the Spaniard won against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier (6-4, 6-2), Roberto Bautista Agut (7-5, 6-4) and French lucky loser Richard Gasquet (6-4, 6-4).

Ruud, ranked No 8, defeated Botic van de Zandschulp (6-1, 6-2) and Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics (6-3, 6-2) in the previous rounds of the Estoril tournament.

Hurkacz beat Cristian Garin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in the Estoril ATP 250 final.

Sebastian Baez Outlasts Alejandro Tabilo to Claim Chile Open Title

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Sebastian Baez is rockin’ & rollin’ through South America…

The 23-year-old Argentine tennis player completed his South American clay-court swing on a high note on Sunday in Santiago, rallying past home favorite Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the final of the Chile Open to secure his second title in as many weeks.

Sebastian BaezLast week Baez triumphed at the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro.

Baez has won nine consecutive matches and will climb to a career-high No. 19 in the ATP Rankings on Monday.

He found his best tennis when it mattered most on Court Jaime Fillol, earning 12 of the championship clash’s final 16 games to emerge victorious after two hours and 14 minutes.

Baez’s winning streak appeared in jeopardy when this year’s Auckland champion Tabilo made a quick start in front of a partisan crowd. Chants of “Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le! Viva Chile!” filled the air as day turned to night and the lefty moved to within a set of earning his second ATP Tour crown.

Tabilo also was able to draw confidence from the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting last year in Cordoba, which he won in straight sets. But one of the key differences in this encounter was how Baez performed under pressure.

When the pair met in Cordoba, Baez saved just one of the six break points he faced. In Santiago, he saved eight of 10 break points while converting five of his 16 opportunities according to Infosys ATP Stats.

After an uncharacteristically out-of-rhythm start from Baez, he locked in from the back of the court for the final two sets. Many rallies were grinding duels from behind the baseline and in those situations, Tabilo was unable to consistently find ways to put his opponent under duress.

Tabilo found his moments and hit some jaw-dropping shots, including a stunning backhand down the line to help him break back when Baez served for the match at 5-3 in the deciding set.

But the second seed was able to successfully ride those waves of momentum and rely on his heavy forehand to control the action. Despite losing serve on the verge of victory, he broke in the next game, hitting a final forehand winner to capture his fifth title since the start of the 2023 season.

Baez is now fifth in the ATP Live Race To Turin and is 16-5 in 2024. He’s trying to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time.

With the win, he became the first player to win multiple titles during the South American clay-court swing since Cristian Garin in 2020.

Alex de Minaur Defeats Casper Ruud to Win Second Straight Mexican Open Title

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Make that back-to-back titles for Alex de Minaur. 

The 25-year-old Spanish & Uruguayan Australian tennis player defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to become the first player to win back-to back titles in the Mexican Open since 2012.

Alex de MinaurThe third-seeded de Minaur won his eighth ATP title to become the fourth player to repeat as champion in Mexico and the first since David Ferrer in 2010-12.

de Minaur won his 10th consecutive match in Acapulco to break a four-match losing streak in ATP finals, including in Rotterdam earlier this year.

“Acapulco is becoming like a second home,” De Minaur said. “I thought that it was impossible to get feel better after what happened last year, but I came back a year later to defend the title and it has been true pleasure.”

Alex de Minaur The sixth-seeded Ruud missed the chance to win his 11th title in the ATP and his first ATP 500 title.

de Minaur took an early break to take a 3-1 lead in the first set before both hold their serve for the 6-4 score.

In the second set, both players exchanged breaks in the first four games and de Minaur got a break in the seventh game to take the lead.

The Mexican Open was nearly canceled because a Category 5 hurricane hit the city four months ago, leaving 52 people dead. The Diamond Zone, an oceanfront area replete with hotels and where the tennis arena is located, was devastated.

“We wanted to bring some joy to this wonderful city,” de Minaur said, “and I’m sure that Acapulco will shine stronger than ever.”

Defending Champion Alex de Minaur Advances to Mexican Open Final

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Alex de Minaur is heading back to the Mexican Open final…

The 25-year-old Spanish & Uruguayan Australian tennis player, the tournament’s defending champion, advanced to the final when Jack Draper retired in the third set on Friday.

Alex de MinaurThe third-seeded de Minaur won the first set 6-3, dropped the second 6-2 and was leading 4-0 in the third when Draper, who was visibly diminished physically, called it quits.

de Minaur will face Casper Ruud, who pulled off an upset by beating second-seeded Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the late match.

“I’m happy to be in the final, but I´m hoping that Jack is doing fine. He has a tremendous talent, and hopefully he can recover for the upcoming tournaments,” de Minaur said. “It’s hard to play when your opponent is not OK physically, but you need to remain focused.”

de Minaur won his ninth straight match in Mexico and became the first defending champion to reach the Acapulco final since David Ferrer in 2013.

de Minaur has seven career ATP titles, with last year at Acapulco his most recent.

Draper, from England, was playing in his first semifinal of an ATP 500 tournament.

In the other semifinal, Ruud lost the first set and then was down 3-1 in the third with Rune serving, but he managed a couple of breaks and held his serve to take the win.

“I did not get the best start, and the third set looked really bad. I just tried to stay in there and it seemed like Holger was struggling, and at the end it worked for me,” Ruud said.

Ruud will try to win his 10th career title, the first one in an ATP 500.

Rune, who is No. 7 in the ATP rankings, lost in the Acapulco semifinals for the second year in a row.

Alex de Minaur Outlasts Stefanos Tsitsipas to Advance to Mexican Open Semifinals

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Alex de Minaur is celebrating a hard-fought win at the Mexican Open.

The 25-year-old Spanish & Uruguayan Australian tennis player, the defending champion, rallied past Stefanos Tsitsipas 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday to book a second straight spot in the semifinals of the Mexican Open.

Alex de Minaurde Minaur, the ATP’s ninth-ranked player, struggled in the first set and lost it in 28 minutes but rallied in the next two to get the win in 2 hours, 6 minutes.

“It was a tough match. It was not very spectacular because the wind made it hard for both of us,” said de Minaur, who broke a 10-match losing streak to the No. 12 Tsitsipas. “My first win against Tsitsipas was meant to be in Acapulco, a place of great memories.”

In the semifinals, the third-seeded De Minaur will meet Jack Draper, who ousted Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 6-2.

de Minaur has won eight matches in a row in Mexico and became the first defending champion in Acapulco to reach the semifinals the following year since David Ferrer in 2013.

Tsitsipas was aiming for his third semifinal in Acapulco.

Mariano Navone Defeats Cameron Norrie in Stunning Upset at Rio Open to Reach First-Ever ATP 500 Final

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Mariano Navone,” the 30th-ranked Báez said. “We are using this [tournament] to climb up, we are young. I like to play in Rio, come to Brazil. When I don’t play against a Brazilian I feel like a local.”

By beating his first Top 50 opponent, Navone became the first qualifier to reach an ATP 500 final since Jiri Vesely accomplished the feat in Dubai in 2022.

“It was incredible,” he said post-match. “It’s a pleasure to play here in Rio, my first ATP 500. I’m very happy to make the final, my first final. I played so good all week and I hope [to win] the title tomorrow.”

Sebastian Baez Defeats Francisco Cerundolo at Rio Open to Reach His First ATP 500 Final

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Sebastian Baez has reached the biggest ATP Tour final of his career…

The 23-year-old Argentine professional tennis player faced three set points at 4-5 in the opening set on Saturday at the Rio Open. He saved each one under pressure from compatriot Francisco Cerundolo and didn’t lose another game en route to a 7-5, 6-0 victory at the ATP 500.

Sebastian Baez

Baez’s nine-game tear earned him the win in his first semifinal above ATP 250 level. He will now play for his fifth and biggest tour-level title on Sunday.

While Baez twice beat Cerundolo on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2021, Saturday’s win was his first in the pair’s ATP Head2Head series, which is now level at 1-1.

“We know each other too much, I think more than I want,” Baez joked after the win. “All matches are different. Today it’s going to my side. In the first set, I gave many break points to him. I had to take it because it’s so hard for both.”

After an early trade of breaks, Baez saved six consecutive break points in the one-hour, 24-minute match. He converted on four of his seven break chances and won more than half of his return points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“It’s hard but I always try to be focused on the next point, on the next game, every time thinking about my game and what I have to do,” Baez said of his surge through the finish line.

Cerundolo, who was also bidding to reach his first final above the ATP 250 level, struggled with 39 unforced errors, including 26 off his backhand wing. Despite the loss, he will return to the Top 20 in the ATP Rankings on Monday.

Baez is up seven places to No. 23 this week in the ATP Live Rankings, setting himself up for a career high. He could move up to No. 21 with the Rio title.

Joao Fonseca Becomes First Player Born in 2006 to Win an ATP Tour-Level Match

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Joao Fonseca is making ATP Tour history…

The 17-year-old Brazilian tennis player became the first player born in 2006 to win an ATP Tour-level match when he beat seventh-seeded Arthur Fils 6-0, 6-4 at the Rio Open on Wednesday.

Joao FonsecaFonseca defeated the No. 36-ranked Frenchman in front of raucous fans at the clay court tournament in Rio de Janeiro. He knelt on the court in tears to celebrate.

“This is where I belong. I want to be in these huge stadiums,” said Fonseca, who won the US Open boys singles title last year. “Now it is all about focusing on the process.”

Fonseca, currently ranked No. 655, is expected to jump about 200 positions after beating Fils. Fonseca said he is yet to decide whether he will play tennis for an American university later this year.

“For now I am very focused in the pro-tour, I want to get to the top,” said Fonseca. “That is going to be a personal decision with my family, I won’t make it public now,.”

His opponent in the round of 16 will be Cristian Garin of Chile.

Fonseca’s victory brought some new energy for local fans, who saw three of the title favorites crash out Tuesday.

Carlos Alcaraz abandoned his match against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro due to an ankle injury; three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka lost to Argentina’s Facundo Díaz Acosta in straight sets; and Chile’s Nicolás Jarry was knocked out by Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann in three sets.

Fourth-seeded Francisco Cerúndolo of Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Spain’s Albert Ramos-Viñolas 6-2, 6-1.

Rain later postponed to Thursday the match between second-seeded and defending champion Cameron Norrie against Chile’s Tomás Barrios Vera for a place among the last eight.