The Argentine tennis player Federico Coria qualified for Prostejov’s Challenger quarter-finals, on the Czech Republic, endowed with prizes for 66,640 euros, while his compatriot Sebastián Báez was eliminated.
Coria, born in Rosario and ranked 103rd in the ATP world rankings, beat Russian Andrey Kuznetsov (418 °) in the round of 16 by 6-7 (0-7), 7-5 and 6-2 in two hours and 35 minutes of play, and will play his next match against the Slovenian Blaz Rola (157 °), who defeated the Slovakian Lukas Klein (254 °) by 6-4, 3-6 and 7-6 (7-3 ).
Báez (158th in the ATP ranking), for his part, who came from being a finalist last Sunday in the Bratislava Challenger (he lost the finish with the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor) fell against the Italian Gianluca Mager (82nd) by 7-6 (10-8) and 6-2 after one hour and 39 minutes of play.
Defeat of Cerúndolo in France
The Argentinian Francisco Cerundolor it was yesterday eliminated from the French Challenger tournament in Aix-en-Provence, by losing 7-6; 2-6 and 4-6 against the Swede Elias Ymer, for the round of 16 of the contest, which will distribute prizes for 132,280 euros.
Cerúndolo, ranked 116th in the ATP world rankings, had appeared in the Southeastern French competition last Monday with a victory in the opening round over local Geoffrey Blancaneaux (327th), while Ymer (182th ), came from eliminating the Italian Matteo Viola (251 °).
The contest, which is played on a brick dust surface and has Spanish Roberto Carballes Baena (100th) as the top favorite for the title, ensured the presence of an Argentine among the eight best in the main draw, since Facundo Bagnis and Renzo Olivo will meet today, for the round of 16.
Bagnis (96 °), 31, beat Spaniard Javier Barranco Cosano (338 °) in the initial round by 6-3, 1-6 and 6-1, while Olivo (203 °), 29, he beat Brazilian Oscar José Gutiérrez (412 °) by 7-6 (7-4) and 6-3.
The winner of the crossing between the Argentines will play tomorrow Friday in the quarterfinals against the Spanish Carlos Taberner (134 °) or the French Arthur Cazaux (451 °).
Recall that Argentine tennis players this year conquered five Challenger category tournaments, which is second in importance to the ATP.
The aforementioned Buenos Aires player, Sebastián Báez, was crowned champion in Concepción and Santiago, both in Chile, and also in Zagreb; Juan Manuel Cerúndolo from Buenos Aires did it in Rome and Pedro Cachín from Córdoba won Oeiras, Portugal.
Roger Fededer was eliminated in Halle
The swiss Roger Federer, far from his best version, was eliminated from the German tournament in Halle, which is part of the turf tour prior to Wimbledon, losing yesterday in the round of 16 to Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime 4-6, 6-3 and 6-2.
Federer, eighth in the ATP world rankings and the highest Halle champion with ten titles obtained, the last one in 2019, surrendered from highest to lowest and paid for it with the elimination against a rising tennis player like Aliassime (21 °), then one hour and 45 minutes of play.
The Swiss, who will turn 40 next August, wants to achieve his best set-up with a view to Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the year that will be played from June 28 at the All England Club in London.
The Canadian Aliassime, who had beaten the Polish Hubert Hurkacz (17th) in the opening round, will play in the quarterfinals against the American Marcos Girón (75th), who won yesterday 6-7; 6-3 and 6-4 German Jan Lennard Struff (45th), surprising winner in the opening round of the top seed for the title, Russian Daniil Medvedev (2nd) after beating him 7-6 (8-6) and 6-3.
The ATP 500 in Halle is played on a grass surface and will distribute prizes of 1,455,000 euros and is taken in preparation for Wimbledon.
Regarding this traditional competition on the English lawn, the British tennis player Andy Murray, former world number one and relegated by a series of hip injuries, received a special invitation to play, confirmed the organization of that Grand Slam.
Murray, 34, and champion at Wimbledon in the 2013 and 2016 editions, received one of the invitations to the Grand Slam that is played at the All England Club in London, as did the American Venus Williams, five times champion of the tournament, and the promising Spanish youth Carlos Alcaraz, was officially reported.
The tennis player born in the Scottish city of Dunblane was number one in the world in 2016 and currently occupies 124th place in the world rankings, after having undergone a couple of operations on his hip, which prevented him from having continuity and recently he rehearsed on grass this week at the Queen’s ATP.
Venus Williams, meanwhile, Wimbledon champion in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008, currently occupies box 103 in the WTA and at age 40 she is going through the final stretch of her career.
Finally, the 18-year-old Spanish Alcaraz is considered one of the great promises of tennis and, in the previous Grand Slam, at Roland Garros, he crossed the classification, won two games in the main draw and fell in the third round against the German Jan Lennard Struff.
