MEXICO CITY/STARNBERG, April 9, 2022
Marc-Andrea Huesler and Tomas Etcheverry will compete in the championship match of the inaugural Mexico City Open, a $159,360 ATP Challenger Tour clay-court tournament hosted by the Club Deportivo Chapultepec.
Huesler defeated Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves from Brazil 7-6(5), 6-2 on a rain-interrupted Friday. The 25-year-old Swiss fired 12 aces and won 90 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory in one hour and 25 minutes.
👏👏 YEEEEEEEEES! 👏👏
Marc-Andrea Huesler 🇨🇭#MXCityOpen2022 @ATPChallenger @DChapultepec@swiss_tennis pic.twitter.com/CtGVpC1cC9
— México City Open (@mxcityopen) April 9, 2022
“Today it was a bit different with the rain but I feel like that it is almost better for me in these conditions because then I have a little more time and I can really swing my full shots. I was also serving so well today,” said Huesler.
“I didn’t have a good start into the season, so it’s difficult to make expectations but I played well in Mexico in the past. So, I knew that I could do well in these Challengers here. Obviously, I was not expecting to be in the final. I only arrived Saturday from Switzerland and struggled a bit in the first round against Gilbert Klier Junior. The preparation wasn’t that great but the longer the week goes, the better I play. That’s the positive thing for me.”
Etcheverry fights past Jarry
Earlier in the day, Etcheverry came back from a set deficit to overcome No. 7 seed Nicolas Jarry from Chile 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4). The second-seeded Argentine withstood 17 aces and broke Jarry’s serve three times to prevail after two hours and 33 minutes.
Juego, set, partido ¡y pase a la final!@tometcheverry 🇦🇷 vence 3-6, 7-5 y 7-6(4) a Nico Jarry 🇨🇱 para avanzar a la final del #MXCityOpen2022 y confirmar su ingreso al Top 100 a partir del próximo lunes. pic.twitter.com/gBjDQnmWMZ
— México City Open (@mxcityopen) April 9, 2022
“Today’s battle was crazy,” World No. 106 Etcheverry said afterwards. “In addition to the tournament, my life’s dream was at stake, which was to be among the Top 100 players in the world. It has been a week of high expectations, I didn’t know how it was going to turn out, I had never played at such a high level and honestly I was afraid, but I adapted very well.”
After about 30 minutes, the match was interrupted for about two and a half hours due to rain.
“The court dried very quickly and was in good condition. It was difficult for me because I lost the first set, but I was able to get back into the rhythm. I am very happy to be here with the support of the public, I hope that in the final I will have the same support,” Etcheverry said.
Huesler/Etcheverry: Tied in head-to-head record
The 22-year-old La Plata native is bidding for his fourth ATP Challenger career crown, his second of the season following his triumph in Concepcion, Chile last month. Huesler could also lift his fourth trophy, his first since the Wolffkran Open in Ismaning, Germany in October 2020.
“It will not be easy for sure,” said Huesler of the upcoming championship match. “I have played him twice already. I won once on clay and I also lost once on clay, one of these matches was a Challenger final in Romania in 2020. He is a very steady player a big fighter but the way I am playing this week I am sure that I will get my chances. It’s always close against him. He’s a nice guy but tomorrow we will battle it out for sure.”
The World No. 176, who was born in Zürich, competed in two indoor hard-court tournaments on home soil in Switzerland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
“It will be my first final of an ATP Challenger 125 tournament. I have been playing well in Mexico a couple of times. I won the San Luis Potosi Open three years ago, the last time when it was held. I won my first Future in Mexico as well. Apparently, I really play well here in altitude. It helps my game a lot and the results show it. I am pretty positive,” said Huesler.
