Francisco Cerúndolo and Alejandro Tabilo make their way in 2R of Monte Carlo | ATP Tour

Montecarlo

Cerúndolo and Tabilo make their way in 2R of Monte Carlo

The Chilean will be the rival of No. 8 favorite Casper Ruud

April 08, 2024

Francisco Cerúndolo participates for the second time in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff

Francisco Cerúndolo only had one previous participation in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and, for now, he has already ensured that he will at least equal the result he achieved last year on the clay of this ATP Masters 1000.

And the Argentine completed a great performance against the German lucky loser Daniel Altmaier, whom he beat 6-2, 7-6(3) in one hour and 49 minutes.

The No. 22 in the PIF ATP Rankings dominated every facet of the game, from his first serve success rate (76%) to his ability to save four of the five break chances he conceded (80%) or resolve on his own. side three of the seven that he had in his favor (43%).

It was the second time that the Lexus ATP Head2Head included a confrontation between Cerúndolo and Altmaier, and the result was the same as on the previous occasion in Hamburg 2022: victory for the Argentine.

In this way, the eldest of the Cerúndolo brothers has won at least one match in all the ATP Masters 1000 held this season, since in both Indian Wells and Miami he appeared in the third round.

To continue advancing in Monte Carlo he will have to overcome a difficult test. His next date will be No. 15 seed Karen Khachanov, who beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-5, 7-6 (3) in two hours and 24 minutes.

Precisely, Khachanov was the last player capable of defeating Cerúndolo in an ATP Masters 1000 (Miami).

For his part, Alejandro Tabilo unlocked one of the pending accounts in his career: winning a match in Monte Carlo. In his debut, the Chilean defeated Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 37 minutes.

The last three tournaments played by Tabilo have been in the ATP Masters 1000 category and in all of them he has won at least one match: Indian Wells (d. Kotov), ​​Miami (d. Nakashima) and Monte Carlo (d. O’ Connell).

The Chilean will have a demanding test in what will be his 20th match of the season (13-6). In the second round, No. 8 seed Casper Ruud awaits him, an opponent who already knows what it’s like to beat him in the only duel included in the Lexus ATP Head2Head in Santiago 2020.