Notes from three weeks of pure tennis: from the Davis scare to the ATP round in Córdoba and Buenos Aires

For several months, for the start of 2024 in Argentina, tennis has had three weeks marked with red fiber in the almanac with the Davis Cup match against Kazakhstan and the ATP 250 in Córdoba and Buenos Aires. Three unmissable events. And three competitions to see up close – on TV or live – the best Argentine players. The best program? Difficult.

The first week passed with great fear in the Rosario Jockey. It’s hard to explain what would have happened if Dmitry Popko had kept one of the two match points he had against Sebastián Báez in the fifth point of a series that should never have gotten where it did. The Argentine shirt, however, weighs as if it were made of lead and even more so if three tennis players positioned in the top 30 of the world rankings but with little experience in the Davis Cup are wearing it. Popko and especially Timofey Skatov were encouraged and came close to giving Argentina one of the toughest (if not the toughest) defeats in its history in the competition.

Now it’s Cordoba’s turn. And the tournament ended, on its third day, the surprise elimination of Francisco Cerúndolo, his top favourite. It’s strange what happens with the Argentine number 1. The season started with the excellent contribution of Franco Davino to his work team and with enormous expectations of triumphs and rankings. But so far he has achieved only two victories in seven matches, premature eliminations in the four tournaments played and, above all, a level of tennis that does not correspond to his status as 22nd in the world.

Cerúndolo is not amused. You can see his anger on the pitch with a very calm boy on the outside and whirlwind on the inside, as if suddenly he only knew how to hit the ball hard and nothing else. It’s true that a lot has happened to him in less than three years and perhaps this overwhelms him when, moreover, he is still adapting to a high-level circus, to a relentless centrifuge that demands of him to be a machine every time. week.

He has Cerúndolo tennis to recover from and, outside of Córdoba, Buenos Aires will give him a great opportunity to recover. and claim

The tournament in Buenos Aires is exactly what will take place from Monday and the icing on the cake will come right there. With Carlos Alcaraz, who will arrive in Argentina on Sunday, the great protagonist of a tournament that will be an excellent opportunity for the Argentines. Because, unlike what happened in Rosario and what is happening in Córdoba, the weight of favoritism will not fall on their shoulders. Before Cerúndolo, Báez and Tomás Etcheverry there will be Alcaraz himself, Cameron Norrie, Arthur Fils, Stan Wawrinka and even Marin Cilic himself, Slam champion. Without that backpack you always have to bet on the impact. And for a joy in white and blue.