Rome Masters 1000 announcement: Francisco Cerúndolo wants to prolong his big moment against Jannik Sinner

Francis Cerundolothe only Argentine who is still running in the Italian Forumwill go this Tuesday for a place in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters 1000the last major date on the brick dust tour before the Roland Garros. The 24-year-old from Buenos Aires and 31st in the standings will have a good challenge against the Italian Jannik sinner21 years old and number eight in the world, in a duel that will start around 10 in our country.

Cerúndolo is the protagonist of two great comebacks in the previous rounds. After going out in the first to be the 24th seed, he beat the Chinese 4-6, 6-2 and 6-3 Yib Wu (57th). Then he beat the French 6-7 (0-7), 6-2 and 6-2 Gregoire Barrere63rd, arrived confidently at that game after lowering the Russian Karen Khachanovaseeded eleventh.

Sinner knocked out the Aussie easily in his first match Thanasi Kokkinakiscoming from qualifying, but then had to work hard to beat the Russian 6-3, 6-7 (4-7) and 6-2 Alexander Shevchenko93rd, lucky loser and winner of Sebastian Baez in the second wheel.

It will be the fourth duel in history between Cerúndolo and Sinner, who leads the European Championship 2-1. The one born in San Candido took those who played in the group stage of the Davis Cup in Bologna and in the round of 16 of viennaboth in 2022. The porteño had won 4-1 and abandoned the one played, also last year, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Masters 1000.

The Argentine, champion last year a enoughhe is having a great time on the European tour of slow courts, perhaps without outstanding results like that semifinal in Miami 2022 which marked a break in his career, but with excellent performances and some sensational victories against rivals of the hierarchy.

In Montecarlofor example, he was eliminated in the second round, but won against Cameron Norie, 14th in the standings, in the initial. It’s inside Barcelonahe had the best win of his career in the round of 16, batting Casper Ruudat that time three in the world, although he later lost in the quarterfinals with Daniel Evans. He will now be aiming for another important victory against one of the best players in the Next generation.

Inside Italian Forum It will be a day of lots of tennis, if the rain doesn’t come back, which has been complicating the competition for a couple of days and which has not allowed all the matches scheduled for Monday to be completed.

Opening the day on Center Court will be luxurious, because it will be responsible Novak Djokovic, world number one (at least until next week) and defending champion. The Serbian, big favorite, will face the English of the 6 of Argentina Cameron Norie13th, for a place in the quarterfinals.

Freight -whatever he does on the Italian brick dust, next Monday he will fall to second place in the standings, ousted by Carlos Alcaraz– beat the Bulgarian in the pre-round Grigor Dimitrov26th, and wants to add his third title of the year.

Norrie, winner in February in Rio de Janeiro, beat the Hungarian 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) Marton Fucsovics.

In the second most important stage of the complex, the Danish Rune Holgerseeded seventh, will face the Australian Alexei Popyrin, emerged from the classification; the Norwegian Casper Ruud4th, will go against the Serbian Laslo Djere, party from which the rival of Cerúndolo would emerge; the Russian Andrei Rublev (6th) will clash with the German Yannick Hanfmann, another of the previous phase; and Croatian Born Coric15, with Italian Fabiano Marozsanwho gave the blow against Alcaraz.

To know the other round of 16 duels that will be played during the day, we will have to wait for the completion of the three matches suspended on Monday due to rain. the Russian Daniel Medvedevthe third favourite, will play the winner of the match who Alexander Zverev19th, beat the American 6-4 and 3-3 JJ Wolf.

Meanwhile, the winner of Stephen Tsitsipas (5)-Lorenzo Soneoin which the Greek won the first set 6-3, will go against the winner of Lorenzo Musetto (18th)-Frances Tiafoe (12th), in which the blue wins 5-7, 6-4 and 2-1.