Báez Makes History by Winning Chile Open and Breaking into Top 20 World Ranking

The central court of San Carlos de Apoquindo, in the trans-Andean capital, was full. For the first time, local Alejandro Tabilo played the final of an ATP tournament and he did so at home against the tennis player of the moment: the brand new champion of the ATP 500 Rio Open and player with the best winning streak so far this season.

Sebastián Báez, this is him, felt the context. There was no encouragement for him on that track that said goodbye to the South American season on brick dust. And his rival took advantage of it. With a better start, he took the first set of the Chile Open final in Santiago and forced Báez to win the second if he wanted to extend his good moment.

The prize was great: the Buenos Aires native was awaiting his sixth ATP title and a sum of points that would allow him to be Top 20 for the first time in his career and advance to the 19th place in the world ranking to become the best South American on that list.

Báez did not waste it. But he had to change on the fly to win in Chile.

“What changed the most from the first set to the rest of the match was making the decision to command a little more points on the court and I was able to do it,” Báez said at a press conference after consummating his ninth straight victory.

“I think I started the game tactically in a way that was not correct. I was also more nervous than the rest of the days and that meant that I couldn’t grab the opportunities that arose in the first set. Tabilo also did better,” he commented.

“I tried to change the approach of the game. And I could do it. And that made me give myself the necessary “breaks” to be able to win the second, a set that emotionally helped me to face the third with much more confidence,” he added.

Finally, Báez won 3/6, 6/0 and 6/4 to win the Chile Open and become the 20th Argentine to reach the Top 20.

Báez, the best in South America

As of this Monday, Báez is the tennis player with the best ranking in South America. He climbed two positions to be 19th, one step ahead of Francisco Cerúndolo, who until today led that list.

The Buenos Aires native rose 11 places in two weeks, thanks to his titles in Rio and Santiago. His consecration in the Rio ATP 500 allowed him to climb nine places, while this Monday he jumped another two steps to reach the best position of his career at the age of 23.

The Argentines in the Top 100 are located as follows:

• Sebastián Báez (19th, +2)
• Francisco Cerúndolo (22nd, -2)
• Tomás Martín Etcheverry (30°, -3)
• Facundo Díaz (52nd)
• Mariano Navone (59th, +1)
• Pedro Cachin (79°, -1)
• Federico Coria (90°, -2)
• Thiago Tirante (97th, +3)

The world ranking keeps the Serbian Novak Djokovic at the top, ahead of the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz and the Italian Jannik Sinner.

The Top 10 is as follows:

2024-03-04 11:52:45
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