CORDOBA – Spain’s Jaume Munar disappointed the fans at the Cordoba Open, upsetting top-seeded Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-4 in second-round action.
Munar repeatedly got into and out of trouble, saving 10 of 12 break points while beating Cerundolo for the first time in three career matchups, Reuters reported.
“It’s something I’ve been struggling [with] in the past. But I’ve learned to have a good attitude on that,” Munar said of playing Argentine opponents in front of their supportive home fans.
“I remember a lot of matches here: I played Schwartzman a couple of times, I played Pella also in Buenos Aires, Delbonis, many of them. I’m getting older so I’m getting more mature and it’s something that helps to have that experience to handle the moment. But of course it’s always difficult.”
Cerundolo, who entered the event at No. 22 in the ATP Rankings, was the top seed at an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career.
The Cordoba event has now had an Argentine top seed in five consecutive years, after Diego Schwartzman held that honour from 2020-23.
The day’s other two second-round matches also saw Argentinians defeat Spaniards. Third-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry got past Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-5, 6-4, and Federico Coria routed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3.
Elsewhere, Grigor Dimitrov moved back on track in style at the Provence Open.
The Bulgarian’s red-hot start to the 2024 season hit a blip with his third-round exit at the Australian Open, but Dimitrov came out firing against Sebastian Korda in Marseille as he rode a fast start to a 6-1, 7-6(5) second-round victory at the ATP 250.
Dimitrov, the No. 13 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, converted two of three break points he earned in a stunning first-set display. He then held off a Korda comeback in the second set, recovering quickly after letting slip a 4-2 lead to clinch a 93-minute win in a tie-break.
“I think the first set was amazing,” said Dimitrov in his on-court interview. “Honestly, whatever I was touching was getting to the right place and in matches like that sometimes it is very difficult to maintain it throughout the two sets.
“In the second he had one look, and he took it. The game he broke me, amazing returns and just amazing play overall. So he kind of took the ball away from my racquet, and I had to find a way to get back.”
Dimitrov began his year by lifting his first tour-level trophy in more than six years in Brisbane.
The Bulgarian is now 8-1 for the season, and he will look to maintain his strong form when he takes on eighth seed Jiri Lehecka or home favourite Arthur Rinderknech in the Marseille quarter-finals.
Top seed Hubert Hurkacz also advanced, moving past Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 6-4 to make a winning start to his Marseille campaign.
The Pole, who is the defending champion at the ATP 250 event, thundered 13 aces and won 81 per cent (22/27) of his first-serve points to reach the quarter-finals after 67 minutes.
Zhang upset two-time finallist Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-4 in the pair’s maiden Lexus clash.
The Chinese World No. 50 won 77 per cent (30/39) points behind first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to advance to face third seed Karen Khachanov.
Davidovich Fokina overcame Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3, 7-5, his first win in three tour-level meetings with the Finn. The fifth-seeded Spaniard next takes on the highest-ranked home hope in the draw, Ugo Humbert.
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