Fran Cerúndolo battles through to progress in Paris | OneFootball

Francisco Cerúndolo doesn’t sink and finds his way to the round of 16 at the Paris Masters. The Argentine overcame a grueling challenge against Miomir Kecmanovic, sealing the victory in the tiebreak of the third set.

Cerúndolo Survives a Storm in Paris

Francisco Cerúndolo (21st) continues to fine-tune his tennis ahead of the Davis Cup Finals, and the European indoor tour is a key stop. The Argentine had a brief stint in Vienna, where he fell in the round of 16 to Alexander Bublik, before heading to the French capital. At the Rolex Paris Masters, Cerúndolo started off on the right foot, defeating Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in straight sets and was set to face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (53rd) in the second round. The Balkan had just overcome a tough obstacle against American Kovacevic, whom he defeated in three sets. This was the third meeting between the two players, with the Argentine having won the previous two.

The Argentine Strikes at the Right Moment

At the start of the match, Cerúndolo was in sync with his tennis, making the ball run from the return and dictating points with solid shots to secure an immediate break. Then, the Argentine served for the first time, doing his job and consolidating the break. Despite the surprising start, Kecmanovic gradually gained confidence as the points went on and performed very well on the return to level the score in the fourth game. However, the Serb once again showed his ability by creating three break points, but was unable to break his rival’s serve.

In the final stages of the set, Cerúndolo showed a firm stance in the rallies, made his shots count, and secured a crucial break that allowed him to close out the set 7-5.

Kecmanovic Rides the Momentum and Forces a Third Set

The opening games of the second set were decided by fine margins. Cerúndolo generated two break opportunities at the start, but couldn’t break the Balkan’s serve. Next, Kecmanovic showcased his return skills, forcing multiple extra points, though unable to find a break chance. Despite the complications brought by his opponent, the Serb stayed strong, controlled the pace of the match, and used his tools to earn two consecutive breaks. The Argentine couldn’t overcome Kecmanovic’s tennis, who responded impressively to take the second set 6-1.

Cerúndolo Weather the Storm and Stays in the Race

The players were sharp at the start of the final set, making their shots count to put up the initial numbers without any trouble. The South American gave no respite on his serve and won points authoritatively. It wasn’t until the sixth game that Cerúndolo managed to impose his weapons on the return, building break points and working the rallies to take the lead on the scoreboard. When it came time to close out the match, the Argentine couldn’t withstand the pressure and Kecmanovic responded with a break to restore parity. Finally, the players entered a decisive tiebreak, where Cerúndolo managed to make the difference with his tennis and sealed the victory in three sets.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.