Báez and Etcheverry still don’t win in 2024: debut and farewell to Adelaide

The Argentines Sebastiano Baez (26th) e Tomás Martín Etcheverry (30th), fifth and sixth favorites, were defeated in the first round of the ATP 250 in Adelaide, which serves as preparation for the Australian Open against the English Jack Draper (62nd) and the Russian Alexander Shevchenko (48°).

Báez lost quickly, in an hour and 18 minutes, 6-1 and 6-3, while Etcheverry struggled much more against Shevchenko, who beat him 7-6 (4), 4-6 and 7-5 in two hours and 58 minutes. Since then this is a bad start for two of Argentina’s best rackets both had just lost in the first round of the ATP 250 in Brisbane.

With these defeats there is almost no Argentine left, Facundo Diaz Acosta (93rd), who will also face the Australian in the first round Jordan Thompson (47°), executioner of Rafael Nadal, last week in Brisbane. In that match, the former world number 1 suffered a muscle injury that will exclude him from the first Grand Slam of the season.

Cerúndolo waits in Auckland

The Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo He will begin his participation in the ATP 250 in Auckland, New Zealand, only in the second round of the competition. The tennis player from Buenos Aires, 25 years old and placed at the 22nd step of the ATP world ranking, directly drew the first phase, based on his status as third seed, of the tournament which offers a prize pool of 661 thousand dollars and will play on a hard surface.

Cerúndolo, 2023 Eastbourne ATP 250 champion, on grass, beating the American in the final Tommy Paolothey will meet in the second round of the New Zealand championship against the French Alexandre Müller (81st), who defeated his compatriot this Monday Beniamino Bonzi (73rd) for 6-3 and 7-5.

The American Ben Shelton, number 15 in the international ranking, is the first seed and will also make his debut in the round of 16.

Source: EFE