Argentina Open 2026: Cerúndolo to make third finals appearance, will face Darderi on Sunday |
It won’t be an all-Argentine final at the 2026 Argentina Open, as many expected during the last days. At least not entirely. Top-ranked Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo (ATP singles ranked 19) will face off against Argentine-born Italian Luciano Darderi (22) in the decider, after both won their respective semifinal matchups.
Action at the Guillermo Vilas Center Court opened up on Saturday with the Argentine duel between Cerúndolo and Tomás Etcheverry (54). The 2025 finalist ensured he’ll have another take at the title, taking a 6-3, 7-5 win.
It was an even-fought match throughout the 1 hour and 51 minutes. With windy conditions forcing players to constantly adapt their games, both had to be solid from the baseline, and the duel was decided in the details. Cerúndolo showcased his class, taking over points at key moments with his forehand, against an Etcheverry who struggled to impose himself.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” Cerúndolo said at the press conference afterwards. “It was a semifinal, going up against a lifelong friend, at Buenos Aires, in a full stadium.”
The top-ranked Argentine said he was “happy with [his] performance,” which he called his “most consistent of the week.”
“The first time [Etcheverry and he] faced each........