Francisco Cerúndolo Back in Miami Open Quarterfinals with Pablo Cuevas in His Corner

Success and Francisco Cerúndolo seem to be best friends when it comes to the ATP Masters 1000 events. The Argentine ace proves it once again as he has won 33 matches at these events, with a good third of those victories coming at the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Open.

Francisco Cerúndolo, the 23rd seed, has written another chapter in his enviable Miami Open history by reaching his third quarter-final of the event. His recent on-court conquest came against Casper Ruud on a Tuesday that had to deal with rain intervention. This victory is just another feather in Cerundolo’s cap, who holds an impressive Miami record of 12-3, his best at any ATP Masters 1000 tournament.

Interestingly, Cerundolo’s spectacular performance at the Miami Open is not a newfound affair. His love for the Miami Open is evident from his remarkable record at the Hard Rock Stadium. Out of the 33 matches he has won in his Masters 1000 main draw career, a staggering one-third have come at the Miami courts.

When asked about his exceptional performance at the Miami Open, Cerúndolo said, “I don’t know if the conditions here suit me, but I really like this city. I really like the crowd of people that support me. I enjoy a lot the time I spend outside of the tournament, too, off the court.” His words resonate with his performances, which have been nothing short of fantastic.

Francisco Cerúndolo’s tennis journey has been quite inspirational. He made his ATP debut in 2019, but it took him three years to score his first win on hard courts. Of course, it happened at the Miami Open. Playing in the main draw of a 1000-level event for the first time, Cerúndolo was a revelation as he took down big names like No. 16 seed Reilly Opelka, No. 22 Gael Monfils, No. 28 Frances Tiafoe, and No. 9 Jannik Sinner. This run took him to the semi-finals, where he was defeated by Ruud. This time around, he turned the tables on Ruud with a lopsided victory, making his recent win even sweeter.

After scoring his breakthrough win at the Miami Open three years ago, Cerúndolo has established himself as a multi-surface threat. He has three ATP titles to his name and owns 14 victories over Top 10 players. Recently, he joined forces with retired South American legend Pablo Cuevas to improve his game further. Cerúndolo’s journey is an embodiment of hard work, resilience, and continuous improvement.

Looking ahead, Cerúndolo will face last year’s Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. Dimitrov, the Bulgarian powerhouse, took down No. 31 Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-5 in his previous match. Cerúndolo will be looking to settle scores, having lost their only previous meeting in 2023. However, with the guidance and experience of new coach Cuevas, who owns two wins over Dimitrov, Cerúndolo will step on the court with confidence.