Argentine Hope in Rome: Navone and Cerú Eye Upsets in 1000 Masters

Rome, Italy: The stage is set for a thrilling Saturday at the 1000 Masters in Rome, as two Argentine stars, Mariana Navone and Fran Cerú, look to make their mark in the prestigious tournament.

Navone vs Sinner: A Tale of Two Returns

Mariano Navone, ranked 99th, finds himself in a high-stakes encounter against the returning world number one, Jannik Sinner. The Italian’s comeback to clay courts after a three-month suspension for doping has sparked controversy and enthusiasm among the home crowd. Navone will need to summon all his skill and determination to upset the Italian favorite.

Watch Jannik Sinner train ahead of his return match against Mariano Navone here.

Cerú Takes on Jarry in_historic London Showdown

Top 20 player Fran Cerú (18th) faces a formidable opponent in Chilean Nicolás Jarry (53rd). Cerú, fresh from his impressive run to the semifinals in Madrid, is relishing the challenge as he continues his strong form in the premier Masters tournament. This will be their first encounter on the professional tour.

Argentina’s Friday Eliminations

• Sebastián Báez (33rd) was another Argentine star to fall early, losing to Czech Vit Kopriva (92nd) in three sets.
• Camilo Ugo Carabelli (60th) faced defending champion Alexander Zverev (2nd), going down in straight sets.
• Francisco Comesaña (63rd) put up a valiant fight but eventually lost to Danish ace Holger Rune (10th).
• Román Burruchaga (135th), son of World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Burruchaga, couldn’t extend his run, falling to Russian Karen Khachanov (23rd).

Did you know?

Fran Cerú is the youngest player in the ATP Top 20, having broken into the elite group at just 26 years old.

Pro Tips

• Why Navone can surprise Sinner: The Argentine has a strong forehand and excellent defensive skills that could disrupt Sinner’s powerful game.
• Cerú’s key to beating Jarry: The Argentine should focus on dictating play from the baseline and exploiting Jarry’s weaker second serve.

Looking Ahead

The matches are scheduled for Saturday, with Navone facing Sinner in the final match on the central court, not before 14:00 local time, and Cerú taking on Jarry earlier in the day, not before 09:00.