VILLA MARIA/STARNBERG, October 12, 2024
The quarterfinals of the AAT Challenger Santander Edicion Villa Maria took place on Friday at the Sport Social Club, with packed stands where three Argentinians secured their spots in the stage of the last four. Roman Andres Burruchaga, Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Juan Manuel Cerundolo will play for a place in the final, alongside Dutch player Jesper De Jong.
Ugo Carabelli kicked off singles action on the Centre Court, defeating Brazilian Pedro Sakamoto 7-5, 6-1. The 25-year-old Argentine started off slowly, having his serve broken early. However, he turned the set around, winning four consecutive games to take the first set. In the second set, Ugo Carabelli dominated, comfortably winning 6-1, using his serve as his main weapon.
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“I started a bit slow, but I managed to adjust. The court was very fast. I improved as the match went on and ended up playing very well,” he commented. Reflecting on his 2024 season, he added: “It’s the best season of my career. I’ve played against tough opponents and won many Challenger matches. I’m very happy with that; I’ve gained a lot of experience and played in great tournaments.”
In the semifinals, Ugo Carabelli will face his compatriot Juan Manuel Cerundolo. The 22-year-old left-hander defeated Brazil’s Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida 7-6(7), 6-2 and remains the only player in Villa Maria not to have dropped a set. “Playing against familiar faces has its pros and cons. You don’t have to analyze as much as you would with an unknown opponent, whom you need to study more. But the downside is that he knows you too, so it’s harder to use your strengths, and the points become more competitive.”
In the final match of the day, Burruchaga took the spotlight, defeating Federico Coria 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in front of a packed stadium.
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“It was a tough match against a great opponent and friend. I started off nervous and frustrated because our initial game plan wasn’t working, but I managed to turn things around and played great tennis in the end,” said the 22-year-old from Buenos Aires.
“Lately, I’ve been playing in bigger stadiums, but the crowd here in Villa Maria is amazing. I hope they come out tomorrow to support me,” Burruchaga added, referring to the warm applause he received after the win, similar to the ovation his father, Jorge (a 1986 FIFA World Cup champion), received when he entered the stadium to watch the match.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Singles – Quarterfinals
[6] R. Burruchaga (ARG) d [1] F. Coria (ARG) 36 63 61
[5] J. de Jong (NED) d [3] H. Dellien (BOL) 57 63 64
[4] C. Ugo Carabelli (ARG) d [Alt] P. Sakamoto (BRA) 75 61
[7] J. Cerundolo (ARG) d [Q] M. Pucinelli De Almeida (BRA) 76(7) 62
Doubles – Semifinals
[1] O. Luz (BRA) / M. Zormann (BRA) d [Alt] H. Casanova (ARG) / S. Rodriguez Taverna (ARG) 46 76(1) 10-5
[2] B. Arias (BOL) / F. Zeballos (BOL) d P. Sakamoto (BRA) / G. Villanueva (ARG) 61 60
