The professional tennis circuit continues its momentum with the Masters 1000 Miami draw completed on Monday. The tournament, set to take place from March 17th to 29th at the Hard Rock Stadium, will feature a strong contingent of Argentine players including Francisco Cerúndolo, Tomás Etcheverry, Sebastián Báez, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Mariano Navone, Francisco Comesaña, and Solana Sierra. Unfortunately, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo will be sidelined due to a physical issue, preventing his participation.
Francisco Cerúndolo, currently ranked No. 19 in the world and the top Argentine player, along with Tomás Etcheverry (No. 32), will commence their campaigns directly in the second round. Cerúndolo awaits the outcome of a match between Frenchman Valentin Royer (No. 69) and either a qualifier or a lucky loser. Etcheverry, meanwhile, will face either American Jenson Brooksby (No. 42) or Belgian Zizou Bergs (No. 45).
In the first round, Francisco Comesaña (No. 82) is slated to compete against Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (No. 41), while Camilo Ugo Carabelli (No. 66) faces a challenging debut against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (No. 59). Sebastián Báez (No. 52) and Mariano Navone (No. 61) are both awaiting opponents from the qualifying rounds or as lucky losers.
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz (No. 1) will begin his title defense, and could potentially face Brazilian Joao Fonseca (No. 39) in the round of 64, contingent on Fonseca overcoming Hungarian Fabian Marozsan (No. 46) in an earlier match. Italian Jannik Sinner (No. 2), fresh off a victory in Indian Wells, will open his tournament against Bosnian Damir Džumhur (No. 76) or another qualifier/lucky loser.
Thiago Tirante (No. 81) successfully navigated the first round of qualifying, defeating German Diego Dedura (No. 259) with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Another win in the second qualifying round, against either Spaniard Martín Landaluce (No. 151) or American Mackenzie McDonald (No. 125), will secure his place in the main draw. Román Burruchaga (No. 102), however, was eliminated after falling to Brit Arthur Fery (No. 174) in a close match, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Solana Sierra (No. 63) will be the lone Argentine competitor in the women’s draw, debuting in the first round against a qualifier or lucky loser.
The Miami Open, after 32 years at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, transitioned to the Hard Rock Stadium – home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins – in 2019. Roger Federer was the inaugural champion at the novel venue, defeating John Isner in the final. Ashleigh Barty claimed the women’s title that year, besting Karolína Plíšková.
More recently, Carlos Alcaraz made history in 2022, becoming the youngest-ever champion of the tournament at just 18 years old, securing his first Masters 1000 title. The tournament boasts a rich history, with Andre Agassi holding the record for most men’s singles titles (six), and Serena Williams dominating the women’s draw with eight championships.
Despite a strong tennis tradition, an Argentine man has yet to lift the Miami Open trophy. Alberto Mancini (in 1992, and now Mariano Navone’s coach), Guillermo Coria (2004), and Guillermo Cañas (2007) all reached the final, falling just short of victory. Gabriela Sabatini, however, achieved success in Miami, winning the women’s singles title in 1989 against Chris Evert. She also contested two further finals, losing to Monica Seles in 1991 and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in 1992.
Sabatini also tasted success in doubles, partnering with Steffi Graf to win the 1988 title, defeating Gigi Fernández and Zina Garrison in the final. Another Argentine doubles triumph came in 2010 when Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta defeated Nadia Petrova and Samantha Stosur in the championship match.
The Miami Open promises exciting competition as the world’s top players battle for the title. The men’s tournament runs from March 18th to 29th, while the women’s draw began on Tuesday, March 17th. Fans can follow the action and stay updated on results through the official tournament website and major sports news outlets.
The next confirmed action for many of these players will be their first-round matches, with Cerúndolo and Etcheverry awaiting their opponents in the second round. Keep an eye on Archysport for continued coverage of the Miami Open and the progress of the Argentine contingent.
