Munar upsets top seed Cerundolo in Cordoba

Jaume Munar picked up his first Top 30 win in nearly a year by upsetting top seed and home favourite Francisco Cerundolo on Wednesday at the Cordoba Open. In a matchup that featured a combined 20 break points, Munar defeated the Argentine 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals at the ATP 250.

The Spaniard converted on four of his eight break chances while saving 10 of 12 break points against him to deny Cerundolo in front of his home crowd. It was Munar's first win in three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings between the pair.

"It's something I've been struggling [with] in the past. But I've learned to have a good attitude on that," Munar said of playing Argentine opponents in front of their supportive home fans. "I remember a lot of matches here: I played Schwartzman a couple of times, I played Pella also in Buenos Aires, Delbonis, many of them. I'm getting older so I'm getting more mature and it's something that helps to have that experience to handle the moment. But of course it's always difficult."

The No.1 Seed is OUT 🚨 @jamunar_38 upsets Francisco Cerundolo 7-5 6-4 to reach his 15th ATP Tour quarter-final! 🇪🇸@CordobaOpen | #CórdobaOpen pic.twitter.com/kiioCBdUHo

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 8, 2024

Cerundolo, who entered the event at No. 22 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, was the top seed at an ATP Tour event for the first time in his career. The Cordoba event has now had an Argentine top seed in five consecutive years, after Diego Schwartzman held that honour from 2020-23.

Munar's quarter-final opponent will be another home favourite in Facundo Bagnis. Bagnis defeated eighth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 7-6(5), 6-4 earlier on Wednesday. Argentina's Federico Coria — runner-up at last year's event — also advanced on Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas. He will next play countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Etcheverry closed the day's play with a 7-5, 6-4 win against Bernabe Zapata Miralles, making it three Argentines in the quarter-finals. As many as three more Argentines could join them by winning on Thursday — including second seed Sebastian Baez, who will face Hugo Dellien.