By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday July 13, 2022
The Argentinian powerhouse delivered a breakthrough victory over Norway's Ruud to reach the quarterfinals in Bastad.
Photo Source: Getty
Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo registered his first Top-10 win – and sent top-seeded Casper Ruud packing – from the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden.
The 39th-ranked Argentinian, who fell to Rafael Nadal in the first round at Wimbledon but did take a set over the Spaniard, defeated Ruud 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to set a quarterfinal with Aslan Karatsev.
It was a tense battle down to the wire, with the 23-year-old breaking Ruud in the final game of the match to lock up his victory in two hours and 33 minutes.
“I’m feeling amazing, I’m really happy,” said Cerundolo. “It’s amazing getting my first Top-10 win. It’s been the best year so far in my career. He’s a French Open finalist and was the defending champion here, so it was a big challenge for me and I’m happy to go through."
Ruud defeated Cerundolo in their only other previous meeting, in the semifinals at Miami earlier this year.
Karatsev defeated Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday in Bastad, while Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta notched his 250th career win, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 over compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Carreno Busta will face Diego Schwartzman in the last eight – the Argentinian topped hometown fave Elias Ymer, 7-5, 6-3.
The 39th-ranked Argentinian, who fell to Rafael Nadal in the first round at Wimbledon but did take a set over the Spaniard, defeated Ruud 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to set a quarterfinal with Aslan Karatsev.
It was a tense battle down to the wire, with the 23-year-old breaking Ruud in the final game of the match to lock up his victory in two hours and 33 minutes.
“I’m feeling amazing, I’m really happy,” said Cerundolo. “It’s amazing getting my first Top-10 win. It’s been the best year so far in my career. He’s a French Open finalist and was the defending champion here, so it was a big challenge for me and I’m happy to go through."
Ruud defeated Cerundolo in their only other previous meeting, in the semifinals at Miami earlier this year.
Karatsev defeated Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday in Bastad, while Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta notched his 250th career win, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 over compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Carreno Busta will face Diego Schwartzman in the last eight – the Argentinian topped hometown fave Elias Ymer, 7-5, 6-3.