While attention turned to the Paris Masters final, Argentine tennis secured two key victories at the season’s final ATP event.
Juan Manuel Cerúndolo and Thiago Tirante both won their first-round matches at the ATP 250 in Stockholm on Sunday.
Cerúndolo, ranked No. 54, defeated Sweden’s Elias Ymer, a wildcard ranked No. 245, 6-1, 7-6(4). It was the 24-year-old’s first appearance at the indoor tournament in the Swedish capital. His win came just days after he lost to Casper Ruud in the Paris qualifiers.
Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, who reached the semifinals in Houston and the quarter-finals in Cincinnati this year, arrived in Sweden with the confidence of having reached the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters, where he secured two significant wins against Russian Andrey Rublev (No. 22) and Australian Alex de Miñaur (No. 9).
In his victory over Ymer, Cerúndolo recorded 12 winners and 18 unforced errors, broke serve three times, and saved the only break point he faced.
Tirante, the world No. 53, also advanced by beating Spain’s Jaume Munar, ranked No. 65, 7-6(3), 6-3. The 25-year-old, who entered the Paris main draw as a lucky loser after Flavio Cobolli’s withdrawal, was eliminated in his first match there by Jan-Lennard Struff.
Tirante, a former world junior No. 1, has also consolidated himself as a regular player for the Argentine Tennis team, with which he participated in a defeat against South Korea and a victory against Turkey.
Tirante’s victory was highlighted by his serve, which was described as one of his best performances of the year with his service in the ATP Tour. He recorded 16 aces and did not face a single break point.
His first-serve effectiveness was 64%, and he won 85% of the points when he got his first serve in. This win brought him to 29 victories in the season, extending his personal record of most ATP matches won in a single year. Munar only won 17 points with the return and never reached deuce on Tirante’s serve.
With the wins, both Argentines secured spots in the second round. Cerúndolo will face the winner of the match between American Alex Michelsen (No. 35) and German Yannick Hanfmann (No. 58).
Tirante’s path is set for a potential all-Argentine showdown. He will play the winner of the match between compatriot Tomás Etcheverry (No. 31) and Swedish wildcard Max Dahlin (No. 772).
The ATP 250 in Stockholm, the oldest indoor tournament on the calendar since 1969, has seen many top players withdraw this year. Among the absentees are Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 17), Francisco Cerúndolo (No. 20), Luciano Darderi (No. 21), Alexander Bublik (No. 26), Valentin Vacherot (No. 27), and Alexander Blockx (No. 28).
The tournament’s top seeds are American Taylor Fritz (No. 12), Norwegian Casper Ruud (No. 23), Italian Lorenzo Musetti (No. 24), and Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (No. 30).
- Who won the first-round matches at the ATP 250 in Stockholm?
- Argentinians Juan Manuel Cerúndolo and Thiago Tirante both won their opening matches on Sunday.
- How did Thiago Tirante perform in his victory?
- Tirante fired 16 aces and did not face a break point, which was described as one of his best service performances of the year.
- When is the next match for the Argentine players?
- Cerúndolo and Tirante will play their second-round matches, with Tirante potentially facing his countryman Tomás Etcheverry.
Keep reading
