Argentine fire tames Rublev: Francisco Cerundolo roars into maiden Australian Open second week
The 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo secured his first ever Australian Open fourth-round appearance on Friday night with a clinical 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 dismissal of 13th seed Andrey Rublev.
Francisco Cerundolo, Australian Open 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
The world No 21 Francisco Cerundolo produced a masterclass of baseline aggression and mental fortitude on Kia Arena to reach the round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2024. The 27-year-old Argentinian, who has now won nine consecutive sets this week without dropping his own, entered the match with high confidence after having recently beaten the Russian in the UTS Hong Kong semifinals.
This performance on the major stage served as a formal confirmation of that result, as Cerundolo utilized the heavy, hot conditions to dictate play with his signature forehand. While the 28-year-old world No 15 Andrey Rublev attempted to impose his power, he found no answers for the tactical variety of the Argentinian, who has now extended his overall professional head-to-head advantage over the Russian to 4-1.
Perfection in the heat as Rublev fails to find a rhythm
The match was defined by Cerundolo’s ability to maintain a high first-serve percentage and keep unforced errors to a minimum. After claiming a straightforward opening set, the Argentinian faced his stiffest test in the second-set tiebreak. Despite Rublev’s attempts to mount a comeback, Cerundolo played the pressure points with clinical precision, securing the tiebreak 7-4.
The third set saw Rublev’s frustration boil over as he struggled with the consistency of the 18th seed, who broke early and never looked back. Cerundolo, who had previously defeated Damir Dzumhur and Zhizhen Zhang in straight sets, looked physically fresh as he closed out the match in just over two hours, letting out several huge roars that echoed across the Melbourne Park precinct.
Reflecting on his affinity for the tournament conditions during his run, Cerundolo highlighted the importance of his preparation. “To be honest I always felt really good in this tournament,” he noted earlier in the week. “I really like the conditions, the balls the court… I’m used to the hot weather because I’m from Argentina. We did the pre-season there and it’s quite similar to here.” That comfort was evident as he outplayed a player who arrived with the support of Marat Safin in his box but lacked the necessary calmness to disrupt the Argentinian’s rhythm.
A blockbuster fourth round against the Zverev-Norrie winner
With this victory, Francisco Cerundolo becomes the first Argentinian man to reach the second week in Melbourne since the region’s strong showing in the late 2000s. His path to the quarterfinals will not get any easier, as he awaits the winner of the high-stakes encounter between the No 3 seed Alexander Zverev and the No 26 seed Cameron Norrie. Having navigated the first three rounds without dropping a set, Cerundolo enters the business end of the tournament as one of the most dangerous and efficient players in the draw.
