Two days after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final in Buenos Aires, Cameron Norrie had his 14th win since the beginning of the season, after defeating Juan Manuel Cerundolo – Argentina’s tennis player attending this year’s Rio Open thanks to a substitution.
From a 3-5 lead in the first set, the second seed won 10 of the last 11 games to win tickets to the second round.
“He played well in some qualifying matches and started very well,” Norrie said after the game. “I focus on improving the effectiveness of the backhand from the beginning to the end.”
Last week’s ATP Buenos Aires runner-up, winning 79% and 53% respectively on first and second serve points. Norrie saved four of the five break-points faced, while Monteiro had eight of the same.
In the next match, the British tennis player will meet Thiago Monteiro – who defeated Norrie in the ATP Auckland tournament three years ago. Monteiro was also the one who eliminated Dominic Thiem in the opening match of the Rio Open with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(2) victory after two hours and 45 minutes.
VIDEO: Monteiro vs Thiem (Rio Open 2023 first round)
Elsewhere, the sudden rain caused the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Mateus Alves to be postponed until the next day. Last season’s champion saved five of nine face-to-face break-points and won two games of interception, before leaving the field with a 6-4, 5-3 lead.
