MIAMI – Francisco Cerúndolo continued his impressive run at the Miami Open, defeating Ugo Humbert 6-4 and 6-3 in just over an hour to advance to the quarterfinals. The Argentine, currently ranked 19th in the world, showcased his dominance on the hard courts of Hard Rock Stadium, setting up a highly anticipated matchup against Alexander Zverev.
Cerúndolo, 27, broke Humbert’s serve in the seventh game of the first set to take a 4-3 lead. A well-placed drop shot proved pivotal in gaining the advantage, and he confidently closed out the set 6-4. “Until 3-3 I felt uncomfortable, [Humbert] was playing very aggressively. After that, I played better and understood his game more,” Cerúndolo commented after the match.
The second set saw Cerúndolo immediately apply pressure, breaking Humbert’s serve once again to head ahead 1-0. A series of powerful shots and confident play allowed him to extend his lead to 3-1. He navigated a challenging sixth game with two crucial serves to maintain a 4-2 advantage.
The decisive moment came with another break of Humbert’s serve, sealed by a brilliant parallel return on his opponent’s second serve. This victory marks Cerúndolo’s fourth quarterfinal appearance in five participations at the tournament, demonstrating his comfort and success in Miami since 2022.
Prior to this match, Cerúndolo had already achieved a notable victory over compatriot Thiago Tirante in the second round, followed by a hard-fought three-set win against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, the 2023 Miami champion and current world No. 10. “I’m playing well, very happy with my week… and I wish to continue,” Cerúndolo told ESPN while signing autographs and flags for fans.
This quarterfinal appearance is Cerúndolo’s eighth at a Masters 1000 event, placing him among the top six Argentines in the history of the category. He also boasts an impressive 8-1 record against French opponents, with his only defeat coming against Alexandre Müller in the quarterfinals of Rio 2025.
In other quarterfinal action, No. 2 ranked Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the next round with a 7-5 and 7-6 (7-4) victory over American Alex Michelsen (40°). Sinner will face another American, Frances Tiafoe (20°), who defeated France’s Terrence Atmane 6-4, 1-6 and 6-4 in a match lasting one hour and 52 minutes.
Sinner Advances to Quarterfinals
Earlier in the day, Argentina’s Tomás Martín Etcheverry saw his run end in the Grandstand, falling to American Tommy Paul (23°) 6-1 and 6-3 in just over an hour. Paul will next face France’s Arthur Fils (28°), who overcame Valentin Vacherot of Monaco 6-4, 6-7 (4-7) and 6-4.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Martín Landaluce continued to surprise, eliminating Sebastian Korda (36°), who had previously upset top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, with a score of 2-6, 7-6 (8-6) and 6-4, after saving a match point. Landaluce will now compete for a spot in the semifinals against Jiří Lehečka (22º) of the Czech Republic, who defeated Taylor Fritz (7º) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7) and 6-2.
