New York (AFP) – The Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo, the best-ranked Latin American tennis player in the ATP, will debut in a third round of the United States Open thanks to a marathon victory this Thursday against the German Jan-Lennard Struff.

First modification: 09/03/2026 - 21:37

The eldest of the Cerúndolo brothers, number 25 in the ATP, beat the veteran Struff (44th) 5-7, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 and 6-3 after three hours and 54 minutes of a tense duel in New York.

The Buenos Aires player, 28, displayed all his character to react after the German, 36, twice took the lead.

At the time of the final set, Cerúndolo had more energy left in the tank to seal a victory that he celebrated by putting his hands to his head on the floor.

The first Argentine racket had stumbled in this phase in the last three years at Flushing Meadows.

Away from the New York fast courts, Cerúndolo achieved better performances in other Grand Slams such as the round of 16 at Roland Garros in 2023 and 2024 and the Australian Open this year.

To also advance among the top 16 of the US Open, he must beat the winner of Thursday's duel between the American Taylor Fritz, ninth seed, and the Italian Mattia Bellucci.

Argentine tennis had already placed Tomás Etcheverry and Mariano Navone in the third round, who will face each other.

It is the first time that three albiceleste rackets reach the third step of the US Open since 2018.

© 2026 AFP

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