The central stadium of the BUENOS AIRES LAWN TENNIS when Alexander Zverev He hooked the right and sent the ball to the gallery. It exploded because that German error sentenced the batacazo Francisco closing itwho went down to the maximum favorite of Argentina Open and got into the semifinals. And it exploded because the Buenos Aires, 28th of the world, gave people a huge triumph in the closing of a complicated day again for the rain and did so playing great tennis, but on a very strong head, that I did not He let himself stun for the environment or deconcentrate due to the difficult conditions of the meeting.
“I’m very happy. In ranking terms It is the best game of my career, because I was number two in the world in frontwho has been playing impressive and comes from being a finalist in Australia, “said the Argentine after that 3-6, 6-3 and 6-2, which was, as he said, the most important victory of his career.
Never before hilling him had been able to beat a rival so high in the ranking. The best result had been before the Norwegian Casper Ruudthen third, in the eighths of Barcelona. Now he left his record before top 5 and 12-13 in front of top 10. And this celebration has perhaps a sweeter taste because he got it at home.
“It was a very rare match for the wind. At first it was very difficult and neither played well for the conditions. The ball moved a lot and it was difficult to hit him. He had to be very patient and run less risk. In the third I I felt more comfortable and I could raise my level. And I am happy because I took it ahead in spite of everything. It was a worked victory and we are in Semis, “added who returned to this instance in the contest after four years: he had been a finalist in 2021.
Argentine fans were excited with a Batacazo by Francisco. Is that the Buenos Aires had started with two solid victories his way in the contest: a double 6-4 against Luciano Darderi59 °, and a 6-2 and 6-3 before his brother Juan Manuel. And I already knew what it was to bend to the German, who had won the only game they had played, in the round of 16 Masters 1000 de Miami last year.
The fans were excited and was evident by the frame that gave the game. In the stadium there was not a free armchair when the protagonists went to the court, after 20, after a long wait forced by the weather.
People made themselves felt from the first point. Not only with songs and shouts of encouragement to close it. Also with some whistles that sought to alter the German, especially when they were about to get. Again and again had to ask for the umpire silence during the first set. And there was always some in the stands that ignored him.
Zverev didn’t care at that time. And he took the first set with authority, after breaking in the sixth game Thanks to two double consecutive offenses.
Despite the advantage on the scoreboard, the German did not dominate and closed it He was gradually finding the way to bother him. The conditions bother them both. Because in the second set the wind became more intense, lifted the brick dust and complicated the impact of the ball. There were errors on both sides. But at the start of that partial, the one that was most wrong was the German.
That is why the Buenos Aires could reverse a 1-2 (he gave his serve in the third game) and went to 5-2. And when it seemed that he had the set In his pocket, a strong shower forced the action. And the players went to the locker room.
Half an hour later, they reappeared on the scene. And after Zverev smiled the distance with a great game Service, closing it closed the set 6-3 and led the definition to the third.
Before that last game From the Argentine serve, the German changed the racket again for a new one who had sent to embroid the game. It was the second change: the first had done it in the initial chapter. It seemed that I was not going back to tension.
With a fresh “weapon”, Sascha He managed to lower the amount of errors a bit. But closing him had already found how to bother him: With the long balls from the bottom and making him run around the court. Thus the Buenos Aires achieved two breaks in the last set and took an advantage of 4-1.
Fran Cerú celebrates the triumph for a bare shout. (Emma Fernández)Con Fran Go ahead and playing very well, people’s emotion was increasing. To the point that some passed from the line. So much whistled to Zverev when he was about to get that at one time the German stopped and shouted: “Respect the players”. And he took a closed applause of the entire stadium, which made it clear that he did not support those few nursed who refused to play clean.
Nothing of that exchange deconcentrated to Cerúando, who at the close did what he had to do. Under the gaze of Dad Alejandro, who suffered in the box From players, he held his serve to get 5-1. And although he could not take advantage of his first match point With the German to serve in the seventh game, ended up closing in the next after two hours and 12 minutes.
Closing it will play this Saturday for the pass to the final against the Spanish Pedro Martínezwho advanced without playing thanks to the Low due to the Italian injury Lorenzo Musetti.
“It will be another hard game. But I’m going for everything. I hope the court is full with all the people encouraging me, “said the Buenos Aires, with the adrenaline still to a thousand and the happiness of an impressive victory.