Dream debut against a Top 10 player! Tirante beats Rublev in Bastad | ATP Tour

Match report

Dream debut against a Top 10! Tirante beats Rublev in Bastad

His next rival will be Carballés Baena

July 17, 2024

The challenge ahead was immense. The biggest he had ever faced in his career. For the first time in his career he had as an opponent a member of the Top 10, and the reigning champion of the tournament, the Nordea Open in Bastad. It took the Argentine Thiago Tirante two hours and 24 minutes to overcome him and, in the process, seal his first advance to the quarterfinals of the ATP Tour.

“I knew Andrey won last year and that it was my first match against a Top 10 player, so I was a little bit nervous at the beginning, but I think I played a great match,” said the No. 121 in the PIF ATP Rankings in his on-court interview.

¡Bravo, 🇦🇷@thiagotirante! 👏

In his first time against a Top 10, he qualifies for the ATP Tour quarterfinals for the first time@NordeaOpen | @TennisTVpic.twitter.com/gmW8Z8bouc

— ATP Tour in Spanish (@ATPTour_ES) July 17, 2024

“It’s my first match with so many people in the stands, but that was also so special. I’m now playing my first ATP Tour quarter-final. I’m so happy to be playing my best tennis here. I’ve never had such a good week before. This is the best week of my life. I think I’ll remember Sweden forever.”

Tirante had lost all three of his previous matches in the round of 16 on the circuit. Last year in Los Cabos (l. to De Miñaur), and this year in Córdoba (l. to Díaz Acosta) and Santiago (l. to Moutet). This Wednesday he has untied the knot in this instance, and none other than against the No. 8 of the PIF ATP Rankings, who last year won here one of the 16 titles he has in his record.

The 23-year-old Argentine played as if he were as experienced as Rublev in these instances. Even in the opener, in which there were no break points, he came back from 1/3 down in the tie-break. And losing serve three times in the second set did not take him out of the match. Quite the contrary. He responded by breaking in the third game of the decider, and saving a break chance at 3-2 before heading to his sixth main draw victory on the tour.

This result has him at No. 110 in the rankings (his best ranking was No. 90 last April). One more win would take him to No. 101. To do so, he will have to beat Roberto Carballés Baena, with whom he has no previous record.