Cerundolo Stands One Win from Buenos Aires Glory
Francisco Cerundolo edges past countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry in windy semifinals, positioning himself for a third crack at the home title that has twice slipped away on the red clay of Buenos Aires.
In the gusty swirl of Buenos Aires, Argentine Francisco Cerundolo carved out a straight-sets victory over countryman and seventh seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-3, 7-5, to slip into the final of the IEB+ Argentina Open. The top seed’s path remains spotless this week, a first for his three appearances in the championship match at this ATP 250 event. At 27, he chases the trophy that has defined his home frustrations, with the crowd’s energy crackling like the wind across the clay.
Cerundolo now holds a 15-7 record at the tournament, his resolve sharpened by previous finals in 2021 and 2025 that ended in heartbreak. Twice he has tasted the edge of victory here, only to watch it fade against formidable foes. Sunday’s decider against either second seed Luciano Darderi or fourth seed Sebastian Baez promises another layer of intensity on this familiar surface.
“Just win the last match. I think that’s the only thing I have to do now,” Cerundolo said in his on-court interview. “My first final here [was] against probably peak [Diego] Schwartzman in his best moment of his career, [ninth] in the world. I wasn’t mature enough to play those matches. He killed me. Then last year I played an incredible [Joao] Fonseca. I think we played an amazing final, but he was a little bit better than me. So tomorrow I will try to be a little bit better than the opponent.”
Past heartbreaks fuel fresh resolve
The 2021 final saw Cerundolo outmatched by a peaking Diego Schwartzman, whose world No. 9 form overwhelmed the then-youngster on home clay. Last year’s clash with Joao Fonseca turned into a baseline marathon, where the Brazilian’s edge in key moments left Cerundolo reflecting on narrow margins. Those defeats have built a mental framework, turning the Buenos Aires courts into a proving ground for his growth.
This time, he enters unbeaten in sets, his game matured through the South American swing’s demands. The red clay favors his heavy topspin, but it’s the psychological shift that stands out—less raw aggression, more calculated pressure. Fans sense the shift, their cheers carrying the weight of national hope into the final stretch.
Wind challenges sharpen tactical edge
Saturday’s semifinal unfolded amid blustery conditions that twisted every ball flight, demanding quick adaptations from both players. Cerundolo leaned on his big forehand to anchor points, firing inside-in winners that cut through the gusts and broke Etcheverry early in the first set. He captured 39 percent of return points, mixing crosscourt probes with down-the-line strikes to keep his opponent off balance.
Etcheverry countered with deep backhands, but the wind caught his higher spins, allowing Cerundolo to step inside the baseline for aggressive 1–2 patterns. His serving held strong, conceding few chances and extending their head-to-head to 3-2. “Super happy. It was really difficult conditions today, super windy. Really tough to play,” Cerundolo noted afterward. “I think we both tried to play our best. It was difficult. We managed to play good points. I think I served really well, played my service games amazing… I think that was the key. I didn’t let him play with so much confidence in his service games.”
The duel highlighted clay’s nuances under duress—low slices to tame bounces, flatter serves to pierce the air. Cerundolo’s composure in hold games turned the match, a blueprint for navigating Sunday’s potential calm or chaos. As the other semifinal brews, his focus narrows to exploiting any final-round vulnerabilities.
Home final tests matured poise
Facing Darderi‘s flat groundstrokes or Baez‘s defensive underspin will demand sustained return aggression, targeting at least 35 percent breaks on this slower surface. Cerundolo’s evolution shows in his serving reliability, a far cry from earlier finals’ nerves. The Buenos Aires atmosphere amplifies it all, with family cheers blending into the crowd’s pulse.
A title here propels him toward top-10 contention, bridging the early-season grind from hard courts to clay mastery. No longer the inexperienced contender, he carries lessons from Schwartzman and Fonseca into this third bid. One precise win erases the past, etching his name into home lore amid the clay dust and roaring approval.
