SANTIAGO/WASHINGTON, February 27, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
By any measure, it’s been a pretty good week for Emilio Nava at the BCI Seguros Chile Open in the capital city of Santiago. The good thing for the young American from Woodland Hills, Calif., near Los Angeles, is this: the week isn’t over yet.
On Thursday, under bright early-afternoon sunshine, the 79th-ranked Nava became the first American quarterfinalist in event history and he’s the first American to reach an ATP Tour quarterfinal on South American clay since Rajeev Ram in 2017 at Quito, Ecuador. He defeated 106th-ranked qualifier Adolfo Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay, 7-5, 6-3, in one hour and 29 minutes on Court Jaime Fillol to advance against No. 1 seed Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, who eased past No. 127 Elmer Moeller of Denmark, 6-2, 6-2, in one hour and 10 minutes.
First American Quarter-Finalist in Santiago
Nava reaches his 2nd ATP QF with a 7-5 6-3 win over Vallejo!#ChileOpen @EmilioNava_ pic.twitter.com/zziegx18fs
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2026
Vallejo was denied his first ATP Tour quarterfinal – and to become the first Paraguayan tour-level quarterfinalist since Ramón Delgado in 2006 at Mumbai – by Nava, who combined self-confidence with control. He struck 35 winners – including 12 aces (his last one came on match point) – and garnered an 85-percent (41 of 48) efficiency rate in winning points on his first serve. Nava broke Vallejo’s serve three times in six opportunities and outpointed his opponent 77-56.
“Honestly, Adolfo was a very tough opponent. He’s on the brink of breaking [into] the Top 100. He’s playing well, feeling good,” Nava said of Vallejo during his on-court interview after leveling his win-loss record at 4-4 for the 2026 season. “I knew it was going to be an absolute battle. There were some tough moments during the first set. I overcame them. I just kept fighting.”
From frown to fun
Brilliantly handled by Nava.#ChileOpen pic.twitter.com/fg515U1Gtf
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2026
Nava, 24, is a former junior World No. 5, who has been on the cusp of big things since breaking into the Top 200 in the summer of 2022. He became a Top-100 player by September of last year, after reaching his first ATP Tour quarterfinal at Los Cabos. Last year, Nava went on a 19-0 at Challenger level, earning titles in Asunción, Concepcion and Sarasota before losing in the Tallahassee final to Chris Rodesch of Luxembourg. He tied Canada’s Liam Draxl for most Challenger wins (44) in 2025.
“Honestly, I think the United States has some unbelievable clay-court players,” Nava said. “I think we just need to come down [here] a little bit more. We play Davis Cup on clay and have played good on clay. I would like to see a few more Americans down here, for sure. I think we could make an impact – and I’m trying to make an impact this week.”
Around the Club Deportivo Universidad Catolica
As second-round play wrapped up at this ATP 250 event on red clay, four of the eight seeded players from the original 28-player draw remain: No. 1 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, No. 2 Luciano Darderi of Italy, No. 3 Sebastian Baez of Argentina and No. 8 Alejandro Tabilo of Chile.
Darderi is already through to the quarterfinals, while the other three were in action on Thursday.
• The World No. 19 Cerundolo easily handled No. 127 Elmer Moeller of Denmark, 6-2, 6-2, in 70 minutes for his sixth win on clay this season. Cerundolo, who won the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires two weeks ago and retired in the second round last week in Rio de Janeiro, dropped just three points on his first serve and converted four of seven break points. He outpointed Moller 56-37 in collecting his ninth victory of the season in 12 outings.
Top seed, top speed ⚡
Cerundolo takes just an hour and 10 to speed past Moller 6-2 6-2.#ChileOpen @FranCerundolo pic.twitter.com/WtQj2uzvZb
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2026
• The 52nd-ranked Baez, who owns the most wins (14) and quarterfinals (5) in the history of the event, advanced to his 26th ATP Tour quarterfinal – his 13th in South America – with a 7-6 (2), 1-6, 7-5 victory over No. 93 Cristian Garin of Chile in two hours and 33 minutes. The victory improved Baez to 36-5 lifetime on Chilean soil (including ATP qualifying and Challengers), highlighted by his 2024 run to the Chile Open title. Baez converted three of eight break points, including the final game of the match for his 11th win of the season.
2024 champ back in the groove
The 3rd seed squeezes past Garin 7-6 1-6 7-5 for a last 8 spot!#ChileOpen @sebaabaez7 pic.twitter.com/KX4NloKhbJ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2026
• No. 48 Tabilo defeated 76th-ranked Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina for the second-straight week to move into the quarterfinal round of his home tournament. In defeating Tirante, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in two hours and seven minutes, Tabilo has become the fourth player this decade to reach the quarterfinals of Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago in the same season, following Dusan Lajovic in 2023, Baez in 2024 and Cerundolo last year. Tabilo is through to his 13th ATP Tour quarterfinal – his third in Santiago after 2022 and 2024.
The Tabilo Turnaround
The home hope completes the comeback 4-6 6-3 6-3 to defeat Tirante.#ChileOpen pic.twitter.com/6gyv4ApkCF
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2026
• Earlier in the week, No. 4 seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina, ranked 59th, lost to No. 81 Yannick Hanfmann of Germany; No. 5 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry pulled out of the tournament due before playing due to fatigue, after winning his first ATP Tour title on Sunday at Rio de Janeiro; No. 6 seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy, ranked No. 57, was upset by 79th-ranked Emilio Nava of the United States in the opening round and No. 7 seed Francisco Comesana of Argentina, ranked 82nd, lost to 137th-ranked qualifier Andrea Pellegrino of Italy.
• In doubles, No. 2 seeds Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos of Brazil advanced to the semifinal round with a 7-6 (7), 7-6 (8) win over Gonzalo Escobar of Ecuador and Jean-Julien Roger of the Netherlands. They are the only seeded team remaining in the last four.
Friday’s Chile Open order of play
By the numbers
Francisco Cerundolo is through to his 32nd tour-level quarterfinal – his 24th on clay – and second of the 2026 season after winning the Buenos Aires title earlier this month. The South American No. 1 leads the ATP Tour in clay victories since the start of the 2024 season with 48.
“Quotable …”
“I grew up my whole life playing on clay, and I developed my game on clay. So, I try to always do well on this surface. I have been doing better and better every year since I’ve been on the ATP Tour. I’m super happy with my level today and how I have been playing the last week and this year. I am feeling really good on clay.”
– Top seed Fernando Cerundolo of Argentina, during his on-court interview after advancing to the quarterfinal round.
