It was a mixed bag for Argentines in the 2024 Australian Open.
Fresh from beating three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, Tomás Etcheverry (32nd ATP men’s singles ranked) has kept his hopes going after winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against Frenchman Gael Monfils after two hours and 15 minutes of play.
“I’m thrilled,” Etcheverry told press afterwards. “It was a great game. The atmosphere was very nice, a great experience. […] I think I played good tennis so that’s why I got the win. I was able to keep doing what I did in the last games and in training.
This is Etcheverry’s best overall appearance in an Australian Open, and his second best at a Grand Slam — he reached the quarters at 2023 Roland Garros.
The 24-year-old now faces a tough match against world number one, Serbian Novak Djokovic. They’ve played twice so far, at the ATP Masters 1000 of Rome and París last year, with two wins for Djokovic.
Sebastián Báez (29th) will be joining his countryman in the third round after beating Colombia’s Galán by 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, in three hours and 17 minutes. He will also face a tough rival in the third round: he’s set to clash with Italian Jannik Sinner (4) for a spot in the round of 16.
Francisco Cerúndolo (21) and Nadia Podoroska (65th WTA singles ranked), on the other hand, were knocked out of the tournament.
Cerúndolo, the men’s top-ranked Argentine, lost 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-2 to Fabián Marozsan (67) while Rosario-born Podoroska, the sole Argentine in the women’s singles draw, fell 6-2, 6-3 to American Amanda Anisimova (442).