Clenched fist: Francisco Cerúndolo recovers the level of the beginning of the year. Photo: Press Argentina Open
Argentinian Francisco Cerúndolo left the tournament in Bastad (Sweden) without his main favorite, the Norwegian Casper Ruud, fifth player in the world, after winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, in two and a half hours .
The 23-year-old from Buenos Aires took revenge for the defeat he suffered against the Norwegian in the semi-final of the Miami Masters 1000, his most brilliant performance so far this year last March.
Cerúndolo, who in the final in Buenos Aires last year marked the most important milestone of his career, will face the winner of the match between the Russian Aslan Karatsev and the French Hugo Gaston in the quarter-finals.
The Argentine will especially remember this July 13 in a special way. Francisco has just achieved the best victory of his career: for the first time he beat a Top ten and, technically, also a top five because the Norwegian occupies that place in the standings.
Now, after defeating Pedro Sousa (430) in the first round and Ruud in the round of 16, who was the title holder in Bastad, in the round of 16 the Buenos Aires native awaits the winner of the match between Aslan Karatsev and Hugo Gaston this Friday.
In addition to dropping to number five in the world, who had won two tournaments this year and played the final of Roland Garros against Rafa Nadal, Cerúndolo took a small revenge on Ruud who interrupted his march when he lived the week of the his dreams at the Miami Open. That time, the Norwegian beat him 6-4 and 6-1 and went to the final.
“Neighborhoods at @NordeaOpen. Also, first win for a top 10. We keep adding,” Fran wrote on her Twitter account, after defeating Ruud in another big step in her career.
On June 28, when he fell in the first round of Wimbledon against Rafael Nadal, the Argentine saw the glass full of his time at the Cathedral of Tennis: “Today I won a lot more than I lost. field back and against @RafaelNadal playing a great game. Congratulations to Rafa for the game and for everything he has done in his career, “he tweeted at the time. And he said he would walk away “with his head held high”.
This Friday, Francisco has a chance to reach the semifinals
Source: Clarin
