Cerúndolo set to lose top Argentine ATP spot after Madrid exit | OneFootball

Francisco Cerúndolo fell 7-6 (8), 6-2 to Alexander Blockx (69th) in the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters 1000. As a result, the Argentine was only able to defend 100 of the 400 points he had earned last year by reaching the semifinals of this tournament, and he will no longer be the top-ranked Argentine player on tour.

The Buenos Aires native had shown a good level at the start of the clay-court swing. However, this tough blow will cost him a seven-place drop in the ATP rankings, down to No. 27. Meanwhile, Tomás Etcheverry, who was also knocked out in the same round, will climb three spots to No. 26 in the world, which will make him the highest-ranked South American player.

The La Plata native, who had achieved his best ranking just days ago, continues to establish himself on tour with strong performances, showing he has the level to compete with the best. Earlier this year, he also won his first title at the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro, a goal that had previously eluded him (he had lost three finals).

Cerúndolo’s defeat came as a surprise. He squandered four set points in the opening set and smashed his racket on the ground after losing the tie-break. The second set was all Blockx, who took full advantage of the Argentine’s frustration. The 21-year-old Belgian had already become one of the revelations of the tournament after previously eliminating Félix Auger-Aliassime (5th); now he has confirmed his great form and will face Casper Ruud (15th) for a spot in the semifinals.

The clay swing continues, and Cisco will get another chance: first at the Rome Masters 1000, where he is defending a round-of-16 finish. Then he will have the opportunity to regain places in the rankings at Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year, where last year he lost in the first round to Gabriel Diallo.

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