Argentine tennis player Sebastián Báez defeated Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 7-5, 7-6(6) after 2h13min of play in the first round of the Río Open. The world number 35 will meet the Chilean Nicolás Jarry in the quarterfinals.
tournament results
tournament draw
Sebastian Baez He is coming off a strange season in which he won a championship and has a 17-game losing streak in his last 18 games. In 2022, he became the champion Estoril ATP 250. In addition, he played in the final ATP 250 of Santiago and Bastad. In addition to other results, he reached the quarterfinals in Córdoba and Lyon. Until the beginning of July, his form was great, but then he suffered from a serious lack of confidence, which led him to lose several consecutive matches. This streak continued in 2023 when he was eliminated in the first round of the year Pune, Auckland and Australian Open. However, he broke it with the title Córdoba. In the previous week, it fell rapidly Buenos Aires. In Rio, he crossed Thomas Bellucci as a debut.
John Paul Varillas He had a very good 2022, where he achieved important results that put him in the top 100 tennis players in the world. Last season he became the champion Sao Leopoldo challenger. In addition, he played in the final Santa Cruz and Hillsand the semi-finals Santiago, Pereira, Tiger 2, Ambato and Guayaquil. At the ATP level, his best week was about to begin Gstaad, advances to the quarterfinals. Your year 2023 started in Australian Open, passes the qualification. Then he was eliminated in the round of 16 Understanding and in the first round Córdoba. In Buenos Aires It comes from reaching the semi-finals. In Rio, he was eliminated Hugo Gaston on his debut.
Báez survives an intense match
Sebastian Baez and Juan Pablo Varillas They met in the second round River open.
The game tended to have too many ups and downs, and both struggled to establish consistency and maintain advantages. The field conditions forced the games to be wide, long and durable.
Sebastián showed his best weapons very solidly at the start to get a double break and go up 4-0. Then the Peruvian got a break, but in the next game he delivered it again. However, the Argentine served twice to end the set, created three set points and was unable to close them out. With his wonderful comeback, Varillas finished 5-5. However, Báez re-emerged and had plenty of attitude to break through and get ahead 7-5 in 58 minutes.
Once again the Argentinian pulled fast distances in the second set with very good forehands and heavy returns to win 4-1. But once again, as he served into the game, his pulse raced and Varillas, who had held his serve in excellent fashion, recovered to add drama to the game. The Peruvian managed to hold the important points and break serve at 6-5, but he hesitated, didn’t seal it and they ended in a draw. There, Báez needed two match points to advance 7-5, 7-6(6) after 2h13min.
