Top-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina reached the quarter-finals of the BCI Seguros Chile Open in Santiago in 71 minutes as he defeated Elmer Moller of Denmark 6-2 6-2 in their second round match.
I’m super happy with my level and how I played last week and this year. Francisco Cerundolo
Cerundolo, who won his home event in Buenos Aires at the start of the month and retired in the second round in Rio de Janeiro the following week, is keen to become the king of the South American clay-court swing.
“I grew up playing on clay all my life,” said Cerundolo, the world number 19. “I developed my game on clay, so I always try to do that [well] on this surface. I’m doing better and better every year. I’m super happy with my level and how I played last week and this year. I feel very good on clay.”
The Argentine will next play Emilio Nava for a place in the semi-finals after the 24-year-old defeated Paraguayan qualifier Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 7-5 6-3 to become the first American quarter.
finalist in the tournament’s history.
The world number 79 is also the first US player to reach the last eight of a tour-level event on South American clay since Rajeev Ram in 2017.
Nava caused upset in the opening round as he defeated the great Italian Matteo Berrettini, the sixth seed he succeeded in the second round to defeat Vallejo and reach the last eight of an ATP event for the second time in his career.
In other second-round action on Thursday, third seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina successfully bounced back from a first-round exit in Rio de Janeiro as he defeated home hope Cristian Garin 7-6(2) 1-6 7-5 in a clash of former champions.
With the victory, the 2024 winner marched to his fifth consecutive quarter-final at the ATP 250 clay court event.
“Everything [is special here]the people, the tournament, the conditions,” said Baez. “The crowd was good today because I played against a Chilean. Thank you for the respect.”
Next up for the Buenos Aires native is another Chilean, Alejandro Tabilo, the eighth seed and Rio Open finalist, in a rematch of the 2024 final won by Baez.
#Santiago #Cerundolo #advances