The ATP 250 in Córdoba will be the setting for the coronation of a new champion
on the major men's tennis circuit.
Facundo Bagnis
beat
Federico Coria
6-3 and 7-5 and will face
Luciano Darderi in the final,
who left the defending champion,
Sebastián Báez
, 6-1, 3-6 and 6-3 on the way.
They will play starting at 7 p.m. on the central court of the Mario Alberto Kempes Sports Center, with television from Fox Sports 2 and Star +.
The day in Córdoba opened with the match between Bagnis and Coria, which was sold as good news for the local public because, regardless of the result, it assured an Argentine in the final.
These were two players who are not used to reaching these levels: it was only the third semifinal for Facu in his career and the fifth for Fede, 33 and 31 years old respectively.
Finally, Armstrong's man from Rosario prevailed through fighting, his trademark.
He won in straight sets, but had to battle for an hour and 57 minutes to take a hard-fought victory.
“I did many things well and that makes me happy;
I think it would have been an excellent match if it closed there at 6-3 and 5-4.
Fede did merits so that he cannot do it and, obviously, a little tension also arises, but I am happy with my level and with the rival that I defeated because Fede had been playing very good tennis,”
he said at the press conference. .
🔥 Explosion of happiness!
🎾 @facubagnis 🇦🇷 he reached the final of the # CórdobaOpen after beating Federico Coria 6-3 and 7-5.
🔝 He will seek his first ATP title against the winner of the duel between Báez and Darderi.
pic.twitter.com/0S5YlH1zu5
— Córdoba Open (@CordobaOpen) February 10, 2024
At 33 years and 11 months, Bagnis marked a milestone in the history of Argentine tennis:
he is the oldest player to reach an ATP final,
surpassing a legend like
Guillermo Vilas,
who was a finalist in Forest Hills 1986 (lost 7 -6 and 6-0 with Yannick Noah) at 33 years and 8 months.
That was the last of Vilas' 102 definitions on the tour, with a balance of 62 wins and 40 losses.
The man from Santa Fe, meanwhile, reaches this stage for the second time in his career and will seek his first title after taking the runner-up plate in Santiago de Chile 2021, when he lost to local Christian Garín.
Now he will have a new opportunity to fulfill his pending account.
There's a new kid on the block 😎
21-year-old qualifier @lucianodarderi_ stuns defending champion Baez 6-1 3-6 6-3 for his first ATP Tour final & will enter the Top 100 on Monday!#CordobaOpen pic.twitter. com/M2nILkDYLz
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 11, 2024
On the other side will be Luciano Darderi, born in Villa Gesell who represents Italy and who will play in his first final.
The 136th in the world ranking, the big surprise of the tournament, dealt a new blow by beating Sebastián Báez (26th).
He started with all the lights on, dominating with his powerful drive from the baseline and quickly found himself with a set advantage against a Báez who was unrecognizable.
Then, the Argentine began to look more like himself and imposed his hierarchy, but Darderi did not shrink and ended up taking the most important victory of his career.
“In the second set he came out more aggressive and I couldn't play as much, but luckily I was able to maintain the level and I was firmer in the third,"
he said in the on-court note.
“It was difficult to play with the fans against us, but I was able to endure it well and got through it,” he added later.
This Sunday, starting at 7 p.m., Bagnis-Darderi, two who come from qualifying
,
to make a new name among the men's tennis champions.