Francisco Cerúndolo
overcame
bad weather in Miami and an adverse start
against Italian Lorenzo Sonego, and achieved a valuable three-set victory in the early hours of Wednesday that allowed him to advance to the quarterfinals of the
US
Masters 1,000 .
Cerúndolo, ranked 31st in the ATP world ranking, was measured against a rival that is 59th in that same list, whom he was facing for the first time on the professional circuit and who won the first quarter 6-3. .
Then, the 24-year-old tennis player from Buenos Aires recovered to take the second set 6-3 and finally claim the victory and the ticket to the round of the best 8 players of the Masters 1,000 in Miami, after just over two hours of play
.
, with a resounding 6-2 in the third.
In the quarterfinals, Cerúndolo, who defends in Miami the points of the semifinals he reached last year,
will meet on Thursday with the Russian Karen Khachanov (16)
, who beat the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, third racket in the world and second favorite to the title in this tournament.
Cerúndolo's next rival will be the Russian Karen Khachanov, who eliminated no less than the second favorite of the tournament, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Photo Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The player born in Moscow 26 years ago won 7-6, 5-7 and 6-3 in the only match between the two on the circuit, which took place at the Masters 1,000 in Montreal in 2022.
Cerúndolo had settled in the round of 16 thanks to the triumphs he achieved against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (102) by 6-4 and 6-4, and the Canadian "top ten" Félix Auger-Aliassime (6) by 6-2 and 7-5.
The top favorite in the men's draw is the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz (1), who successively beat the Argentine Facundo Bagnis (100) 6-0 and 6-2, the Serbian Dusan Lajovic (76) 6-0 and 7-6 ( 5), and the American Tommy Paul (19) by 6-4 and 6-4.
Francisco Cerúndolo: "I played an impeccable match in the second and third sets"
Cerúndolo
admitted that it was difficult for him to get into rhythm at the beginning
of the game due to the delay due to the rain and the change of court, but he valued having found a better level in the last two sets.
“This court is faster and it was difficult for me to adapt at the beginning.
In addition,
the all-day wait is long
, one is anxious and wants to go out on the pitch.
After the second and third sets I played an impeccable match.
I played very well, I returned impeccable and the right hand very well, so I am very happy with the result, ”he highlighted in a statement made to ESPN.
Along these lines, he commented: “I arrived at two in the afternoon and ended up entering at 11 at night.
You're sitting all day because you can't do anything.
You are locked up and when you go out it always gets complicated.
But you have to deal with it, it's part of our sport."
Cerúndolo highlighted, in parallel, the virtues that deposited him in the quarterfinals.
"I am reading the serves very well, returning very firm, my hands are very hard and it is working for me that the player has to play all the points," he listed.
Finally, he referred to Khachanov, his next rival.
“He has been playing incredible and
is a very complete player
.
He serves very well, hits it well from both sides and defends well despite his height”.
“
It's going to be a very hard-fought match
because he's a great warrior, but I hope I can play my game because at this level they all play well and you have to focus on yours”, completed the Argentine.
IS
look too
Francisco Cerúndolo and another great impact: he beat Auger-Aliassime, six in the world, in straight sets at the Miami Masters 1000
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