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Almost a year ago, Francisco Cerúndolo achieved a historic achievement: after 28 years, he put an end to a long drought in Argentine tennis and became champion of the ATP 250 de Eastbourne, one of the most traditional tournaments on the grass tour prior to Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam of the season. Before Cerúndolo, only two compatriots had celebrated on the green surface before: Guillermo Vilas, who won in the Masters Tournament in 1974, in the Australian Open in 1978 and 1979, and in Hobart in 1979; The other champion, only in 1995, was Javier Frana, who conquered Nottingham, a tournament that later became a Challenger.
Today, Cerúndolo tried to go in search of revalidation. However, he suffered an elimination in the first round: the American Marcos Giron defeated him 7-6 (7-5) and 7-6 (7-4), in a match in which there were no breaks of service. Giron, 46th in the world, had only one break chance that he could not convert; Cerúndolo (27th) had no opportunities on his rival’s serve. In such a close development, with a lot of effectiveness from both with the first serve (89% for the American, 79% for the Argentine), the duel was defined by details in separate tiebreakers.
Cerúndolo could not defend the title on the grass of EastbourneGeorge Tewkesbury – PA
In this way, and by not being able to defend the title, Cerúndolo will give up 250 points for the ranking, so he will go back at least three positions, to 30th place. The Buenos Aires player will arrive at Wimbledon with little training on grass, since last week he had also lost in the first round, in the Queen’s tournament; on that occasion, with a defeat against Carlos Alcaraz. This Monday was his eighth defeat in a debut so far this season.
Cerúndolo’s was not the only Argentine defeat of the day in Eastbourne, within a tour that, up to this point, had almost no joys for our country’s players. He also said goodbye Tomás Martín Etcheverry (31st), who lost to the Chinese Juncheng Shang (104th), entered from the classification, by 7-5, 3-6 and 7-6 (7-4). Here there was also statistical parity (38 winners for Shang, 35 for Etcheverry, and 17-16 in unforced errors), and even the Argentine finished with more points won in total (102 to 94), but the Chinese performed better in decisive moments. In the last tie-break, Etcheverry was 3-2 and I took it out, but lost the next two points, and there was no way to reverse that fateful moment.
In search of better results, this Tuesday Mariano Navone (32nd) will appear against Kei Nishikori (399th), who received a special invitation to play. At 34 years old, the Japanese, with a past as number 4 in the world, is trying to return to the tour after a long time away due to injuries. It will be a good test for Navone, who faces his first ATP season on the grass. The player who emerged on July 9 had his baptism last week at Queen’s, with a loss to Jack Draper in straight sets. Until this year, he had only played one qualifier at Wimbledon, where he had only won three games.
Etcheverry in the net against the Chinese Shang; The player from La Plata also couldn’t make it past his debut on the English grassGLYN KIRK – AFP
“I didn’t have much time to prepare last year. This time is different, because after Roland Garros I came home for a few days and played a little on fast courts. I feel like I’m more prepared, playing something on grass since last Thursday. At the same time, it is my first time on the ATP Tour playing on grass. I have expectations, but I’m also a little nervous, I have to improve, have a better feeling with the surface and move better on the grass. It’s something very different from when you have more experience. I think my backhand can work very well on grass, it’s better because I can hit the ball quickly, and it’s easier for me to control the ball on this surface. I also feel that my return can be important, but I have to make some adjustments quickly,” Navone said in statements to the ATP Tour.
In the second wheel he also waits Sebastian Baez (18th), who starts as fourth seed, and awaits the winner of the cross between the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (53rd) and the Chinese Zhizen Zhang (33rd).
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2024-06-24 23:08:00
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