Match Report
Etcheverry finds a major spark in thrilling Buenos Aires QF win
Cerundolo, Baez, Darderi into last four
February 13, 2026
Roberto Castro
Tomas Martin Etcheverry in action in Buenos Aires on Friday.
By ATP Staff
Tomas Martin Etcheverry soared to his first ATP Tour semi-final since last May on Friday at the IEB+ Argentina Open, where he used the support from a vocal home crowd and high-quality shotmaking in key moments to earn a comeback 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory against Alejandro Tabilo.
Tabilo had defeated former champions Facundo Diaz Acosta and Joao Fonseca in his first two matches at the ATP 250 clay-court event in Buenos Aires and looked on course for another victory after a dominant first set.
However, Etcheverry hit a scorching forehand winner to break Tabilo’s serve at 0-1 in the second set and that moment changed the complexion of the clash. The seventh seed struck 14 winners in the second set to level and then fired an astonishing backhand pass from near the advertising boards at 4-4 in the third set to break Tabilo again. He served out in two hours and seven minutes to reach the last four in Buenos Aires for the first time.
“I am so happy,” Etcheverry said. “The first set was so tough for me, but in the second set I started to play my best tennis and then in the third set at 4-4, I got the break with the passing shot with my backhand, down the line, was incredible. I am super happy to play here with my people.”
Etcheverry, who is 6-3 on the year according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, is chasing his first tour-level title this week and will next play top seed Francisco Cerundolo.
Cerundolo defeated Vit Kopriva 6-4, 6-3 to march into his 17th tour-level semi-final. The Argentine has notched more tour-level clay-court wins (43) than anyone since 2024, highlighted by Umag title (2024) and a run to the Buenos Aires final in 2025.
Cerundolo had the upper hand throughout the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash, firing 25 winners to Kopriva’s 12. He won 74 per cent (28/38) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and wrapped the victory in one hour and 37 minutes. The Argentine has not lost a set en route to the semi-finals.
In other quarter-final action, fourth seed Sebastian Baez defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-6(5), 6-2 in an all-Argentine clash to reach his 16th tour-level semi-final. Baez won 89 per cent (17/19) of the points at the net to take a 4-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. With the win, he became the second man to record 10 wins this season after Alexander Bublik, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He will face second-seeded Luciano Darderi for a place in the final.
Darderi defeated Pedro Martinez 7-5, 6-1 to extend his winning streak to 11 matches on clay courts after claiming back-to-back titles in Bastad and Umag in July. The Italian produced a dominant serving display, firing nine aces and winning 92 per cent (34/37) of his first-serve points. The Italian would make his Top 20 debut in the PIF ATP Rankings if he wins the title this week.
