Francisco Cerúndolo and Báez, the Argentine survivors on the indoor tour

In the first week of indoor tournaments, Francisco Cerúndolo debuted with a victory in Kazakhstan and advanced to the third round. On the other hand, Tomás Etcheverry, Mariano Navone and Thiago Tirante did not have the same luck.

On the fast courts of the ATP 250 de AlmatyCerúndolo, seed number 4, He qualified for the quarterfinals by defeating the German Justin Engel in straight sets 6-4 and 7-6(3)in one hour and 29 minutes of competition. The Argentine had a difficult challenge in the second round, where he faced one of the promising tennis players. Germany 17 years old, who had his birthday on October 1 and had just achieved his first victory in a main draw in tournaments of this category. In this way, the Germanic became the youngest player to win an ATP match since Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz did so at age 16 at the Río Open in February 2020.

With six aces and 58 percent efficiency on his first serve, Fran achieved victory number 97 of his career. The break in the first game of the match was enough for the South American to take the lead on the scoreboard. The start of the second set was a reflection of the first: he took the game that opened the set and, when he served to close the match, Engel achieved his only break of the match. Finally, in the tiebreak, the native of the City of Buenos Aires could claim victory.

In search of the semifinals, they will face the local team Alexander Shevchenkowho comes from beating the Russian Aslan Karatsev. History indicates that they met twice this season: in the Masters 1000 de Indian Wellswith victory for Cerúndolo, and in the Shanghai Masters 1000where the Kazakh won.

At the ATP 250 in Antwerp, Etcheverry, who had just beaten the Frenchman Richard Gasquetsaid goodbye after falling in the round of 16 against the Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(2) and 6-4. Starting next week, the player from La Plata will compete in Basel, where in the last edition he reached the quarterfinals. The defense of those points will be key in their bid to close the year as high as possible in the ATP ranking, where ranks 35th.

Also in the Belgian contest, Navone was defeated by the Frenchman Hugo Gastón with partials of 6-4, 6-7(3) and 7-6(4)in a battle that lasted two hours and 50 minutes. The tennis player from 9 de Julio closes his first tournament on indoor courts with good feelings, after having beaten the Brazilian in his debut Thiago Monteiro and fall narrowly in the round of 16. The next stop for La Navoneta will be in Vienna.

The only Argentine representative who is still in the main draw of the tournament is Sebastian Baez. This Thursday, in the round of 16, they will face the local team for the first time Zizou Bergs, in the last turn of the central court.

For its part, in Stockholm, Strap He had surpassed the qualification, but in the first match of the main draw he was defeated by the Málaga player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, with partials of 7-6(2) and 6-2.

Nicholas Jarrytrained by the Argentine Juan Ignacio Chelabeat the local team in the first round Elias Ymer and now he will face the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. For its part, in Almaty, Alejandro Tabilo, second seed of the tournament, defeated the German Maximilian Marterer and wait for the Canadian in the quarterfinals Gabriel Diallo.