Etcheverry collided with Tiafoe in the final of the ATP 250 in Houston and could not complete a dream week

Tomás Martin Etcheverry He was once again inches away from securing his first title on the circuit. After a Saturday and Sunday of super action, in which he had to play four games in a row due to the postponements of Thursday and Friday due to thunderstorms that infested the region, the 23-year-old Argentine crashed in the final of the ATP 250 in Houston before the American Frances Tiafoewho put his greater experience to good use to prevail 7-6(1) and 7-6(6) in a tight definition on the Texan brick dust after just under two hours of play.

The match, beyond the differences in the standings, was defined by the details. And the main detail was the serve by Tiafoe, indecipherable for the Argentine, who today will appear on the 59th step of the world ranking after starting the week 73rd. It is the best classification for this growing player, with a privileged physique for tennis and very long levers.

Little by little, Etcheverry shows its virtues. He likes to train and if he has to run and roll up his sleeves he does it very well. Your ability to work is one of your main assets. Of course: to establish himself permanently and stay at a high level, he must hit the ball more directly, not with so many parables or with lots of tops. It’s that he sometimes stays in the rally and ends up being a hybrid player who isn’t the best defensively or offensively.

However, it is insisted, his working power makes him have very high potential. The drive and service are the best it has. They suffered from Tiafoe, who looked to be on his way to winning the second set after getting an early break, but eventually had to work his way up to the tie break to celebrate.

Etcheverry still suffers when he has to jump to another level, but when he gains confidence and goes through that transition he will end up playing very well. The proof is that each time he lacks less to win a tournament. It seems to be simply a matter of time.

Etcheverry, who had already been a finalist in the ATP 250 in Santiago de Chile this year, where he lost definition against the local Nicolás Jarry, had just beaten the German Yannick Hanfmann (123rd) hours earlier, who had exited the rankings, by 6 – 3 and 6-4. He had settled into the semifinals after extra time on Saturday, when he first knocked out Australian Max Purcell (86th) in the round of 16 7-6 (5) and 6-1 and then, in the quarterfinals, Chilean Cristian Garín (74th) 6-1, 6-7 (2) and 6-3.

“Yesterday morning I was in the second round and today I was a finalist. It was a very strange tournament for everyone. It’s my first time here, but I will definitely come back many times”released Etcheverry, one of Argentina’s top Next Gen prospects behind Sebastián Báez and Francisco Cerúndolo.