2024-03-12 00:16:37
With the elimination of Sebastián Báez and Francisco Cerúndolo, the Argentine delegation at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 was left this Monday without representatives. The first one fell without extenuating contra the American Taylor Fritz (N° 12) by 6-2 and 6-2while the eldest of the Cerúndolo He had a very outstanding performance, but it was not enough and succumbed 7-6 (5), 3-6 and 7-6 (5) to Ben Sheltonanother local tennis player.
Báez (N° 19)who had started the year with great strength by becoming champion at the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro and the ATP 250 in Santiago de Chile, He represented the last hope in the men’s draw, but in the third round he could not beat Fritzwho had already conquered Indian Wells in 2022, defeating none other than the Spanish Rafael Nadal in the final.
Before, The oldest of the Cerúndolo (No. 22) played one of his best games of the year, but it was not enough y in the early hours of this monday He said goodbye to the first Masters 1000 of the season after losing a great game against Shelton (N° 16).
Fran had a demanding challenge in the third round with the duel against the explosive American, one of the most outstanding promises of North American tennis who reached the semifinals of the last edition of the United States Open.
With the match at 2-2, Cerúndolo returned a serve and thought the ball was going wide. True to form, he began to gesticulate and curse. But the point remained and the umpire, Fergu Murphy, gave the local the point for hindrancean expression in English that means “obstacle” and is charged when a player performs some action that could distract the opponent.
So, in an exciting match two hours and 43 minutes, the last of the day in the Californian desert, Shelton finally was imposed.
A curious fact: both earned the same number of points: 111. However, The Buenos Aires player could not gain strength in either of the two tiebreakers and was left empty-handed.
Still, the American Shelton won’t have it easy in the next instance, because The Italian Jannik Sinner, No. 3 in the world, awaits him and undefeated so far in 2024.
The last Sunday, In addition to Sinner, they qualified for the round of 16 finally the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2), the German Alexander Zverev (N° 6) y the australian Alex de Miñaur (No. 10). On the other hand, was left out the russian Andrey Rublev (N° 5), Surpassed by the czech Use Lehecka (N° 32).
In the women’s team it was also a farewell Sunday for the rosarina Nadia Podoroska (N° 84), that fell by 6-1 and 6-1 contra the Russian Anastasia Potapova (N° 33).
On the other hand, the Polish Iga Swiatek (No. 1) advanced and the round of 16 will experience an attractive face-to-face between two veteran tennis players who returned to the forefront of the circuit: the German Angelique Kerber (No. 31, 36 years old) and the Danish Caroline Wozniacki (No. 203, 33 years old), two mothers, childhood friends and rivals who will face each other in the California desert.