Roberto Carballes Baena returns to victory in Auckland | ATP Tour

Auckland

Carballés Baena returns to victory in Auckland

The Spaniard defeated Altmaier in three sets

January 06, 2025

Roberto Carballes Baena throws himself to the ground and raises his arms, almost as if he had won much more than a match. The Spaniard showed his competitive spirit and not only beat Daniel Almaier 6-3, 3-6 and 7-5 after two hours and 37 minutes of play to advance in the ASB Classic in Auckland, he also came back from 1-3 and 40- 0 with his rival’s serve.

Thus, in a battle, Carballes Baena achieved his first victory in the 2025 season and the first ATP Tour victory since he defeated No. 81 Koepfer in the first round in Antwerp in October.

“It was a match with tough conditions to play tennis, with wind, the ball moving. But I am happy to have given everything in each ball and with the victory,” confessed the Spaniard. “I was solid in the first set, then he was more aggressive and in the third I stayed close and was able to turn him around,” he said.

The Spaniard is coming off a personal best with 25 wins in the 2024 season, including his third hard-court quarterfinal in Auckland (l. to Shelton). Twelve months later he will seek to repeat that round, when he faces Francisco Cerundolo, the fourth seed.

The Argentine, who leads the Lexus ATP Head2Head 2-0, is one of the five players from his country present in the main draw in Auckland, along with Sebastian Baez (No. 3 seed), Mariano Navone, Facundo Díaz Acosta (lucky loser) and Francisco Comesana (lucky loser).

In addition, this Monday the No. 7 seed Nuno Borges made his debut, having to work his way to the second round against Luciano Darderi in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and two minutes. The Portuguese will be the rival of Navone or Adrian Mannarino.

For his part, Zizou Bergs found fewer problems moving forward in Auckland against local guest Isaac Becroft, whom he defeated 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 28 minutes. The Belgian, who passed the qualifying phase, is now waiting for Flavio Cobolli or Luca Nardi.

Finally, the No. 8 seed Alex Michelsen closed the individual day on the New Zealand Center Court with a victory against Sumit Nagal 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 40 minutes. The American will face the Canadian guest Gabriel Diallo or Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.