Rome Masters 1000: Etcheverry started with victory but now aims for the epic against Djokovic

Two Argentine victories left a first day of competition of Rome Masters 1000 which started late due to the rain and ended with a negative balance for national tennis. One of the albiceleste representatives who celebrated on the brick dust of the Italian Forum era Thomas Etcheverrywho beat the Frenchman 7-6 (9-7) and 6-3 Luca Van Asche and met in the second round with the favorite of the race, the Serbian Novak Djokovic.

The other that advanced was Sebastian Baezafter beating the Peruvian 7-5 and 6-3 John Paul Varillas. Pedro Cachin AND Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who had entered from the qualy, were eliminated. And in the female box, corresponding to the category WTA 1000he said goodbye Nadia Podoroska.

Etcheverry, 61st in the table, went from less to more to overcome Van Assche, 85th in the table, in a match that lasted two hours and two minutes. The player from La Plata, who this year played his first ATP final on the slow courts of Santiago de Chile AND houston, gave up the serve in the first game. He reacted immediately, recovered the break in the second and was no longer behind in that first set, which he took in the tie.

Etcheverry had to fight from behind again in the second, as he was very quickly down 0-3. But then he won six Games in a row and sealed his victory in the tournament, in which he plays the main draw for the first time.

Now he will have a big challenge, because he will face Djokovic, world number one and defending champion of the competition, the last big event before Roland Garros.

The Serbian missed last week Masters of Madrid due to a nuisance in his right elbow, but he was already training in Rome – this Wednesday he recovered, among others, with Francisco Cerúndolo, who went out as top seed in the first round – and was in excellent form.

Freight You already know that you will lose the number one in your possession, because Carlos AlcarazSunday champion in the magic boxhe will overcome it by playing only one game in the Italian tournament.

The Balkans will try to take the first step against Etcheverry to defend the title and reach the French Grand Slam in the best possible way. Meanwhile, the Argentine will try to reach the third round of a Masters 1000 for the first time in his career.

baez he also ended his debut match in straight sets. The man from Buenos Aires, 40th in the world, eliminated the Peruvian Varillas, 97th, in two hours and one minute, and advanced to the second round of the Roman competition for the second consecutive year.

Sebas is having a good season on clay, in which he has amassed a record of 12 wins and seven losses. He was champion in Cordoba, reached the semifinals in Santiago de Chile and the quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro and Estoril. Inside Italian Forum will try to add two or more wins in a row for the first time in a Masters 1000.

Báez was expected to meet in the second round with Tallon Griekspoor, 36th in the standings, but the Dutchman withdrew at the last minute due to an ankle injury. The native of Buenos Aires will therefore go ahead of the Russian Alexander Shevchenko93rd.

Cachín, 68th in the standings, fell in a South American duel against the Chilean Christian Garin, 79°; and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, 105th and still recovering from the lost ground due to that hip injury that complicated everything last year, lost 6-1, 1-6 and 6-4 with the French Arthur Phils119th and which, like the porteño, dropped out of the rankings.

For the women’s tournament, Podoroska, ranked 101st, was eliminated by the American Sloane Stephens36th in the world, who beat him 6-4 and 6-1 in one hour and 22 minutes.

Two more Argentines will take the field on Thursday. diego schwartzmann91st in the standings, he will face the Italian, not before 3.30 pm in our country Matthew Arnaldi99th and guest of the organization, who surprised in Madrid by eliminating the Norwegian on his debut Casper Ruudfour in the world.

Shortly before, around 10, Guido Pelle484th in the standings (entered the draw with a protected ranking), he will face the American Maxime Cressi41st.

Francis Cerundolo31st and only national racket among the pre-classified players, he will start in the round of 16 against the Chinese Yib Wu57th, who this Wednesday beat the Frenchman 3-6, 6-3 and 6-3 Richard Gasquet44th in the standings.