Buse Finds His Rhythm In Gstaad, Reaches First ATP Tour Semifinal

Ignacio Buse
Ignacio Buse (Breakpoint Images/Swiss Open Gstaad)

GSTAAD/WASHINGTON, July 18, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Peru, the South American country that’s home to a section of the Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city located high in the Andes mountains, has never enjoyed much of a profile in professional tennis.

However, 21-year-old Peruvian Ignacio Buse, who is playing more than 6,500 miles from home in Gstaad, an upscale resort town in the Swiss Alps, is doing his best this week to change all of that at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.

On Friday afternoon, the 167th-ranked qualifier from Lima, became just the third Peruvian player to reach an ATP Tour semifinal this century. He defeated Roman Andres Burruchaga of Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, in two hours and 14 minutes on red clay at Roy Emerson Arena. Both Buse and the 23-year-old, 136th-ranked Burruchaga were appearing in their first ATP Tour quarterfinal. 

Buse prevailed on his third match-point opportunity to continue his dream run on clay in Gstaad, which started last week in qualifying. He overcame 38 unforced errors to hit 29 winners, won 75 percent of his first-serve points and converted four of 13 break points. Buse outpointed Burruchaga 101-88 for his fifth straight win in Gstaad.

“I feel very good here,” Buse said during his on-court interview after earning his fourth tour-level win in five matches this season. “It’s been an amazing week. It feels like home here. It’s like being on vacation. Physically, I feel very good. Let’s hope I can feel like this tomorrow.”

With his quarterfinal victory, which lifted him up to No. 131 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Buse joined Luis Horna (2012) and Juan Pablo Varillas (2023) as other Peruvians who have reached an ATP Tour semifinal since 2000.

On Saturday, Buse will face 109th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina, who upset two-time Gstaad champion and this year’s No. 1 seed Casper Ruud of Norway, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, in two hours and nine minutes to earn the biggest victory of his career.

Cerundolo, the younger brother of World No. 20 Francisco Cerundolo, came from 0-3 down in the final set and won six consecutive games to pull out the quarterfinal victory in his first career meeting with the World No. 13 Ruud. The 23-year-old lefty secured his return to the ATP Top 100 – his live ranking is currently up to No. 89 – by hitting 29 winners, converting six of nine break points and and winning four more points on serve than Ruud. Total points were even at 83.

“It was pretty tough. He was being much more aggressive than me and he was leading me easily then,” Cerundolo said in his on-court interview. “I think I stuck there mentally, didn’t let the match go and I came out at 0-3 with the wind in my favor. With the help of the wind and maybe some mistakes from him, it was 1-3.

“Then suddenly it was 2-3, and when I was only one break down, I started to feel confident again and battled again more. I was more confident, more aggressive, and started hitting harder. I think that was the key to my comeback in the final set.”

The loss was Ruud’s first at Gstaad after winning nine straight matches dating back to the first of his two titles runs in 2021.

In the other half of the draw, second seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, ranked 34th, defeated No. 74 Francisco Comesana of Argentina, 6-4, 6-3, to garner his 10th tour-level win on clay this season – most in his career. The Roland-Garros quarterfinalist saved a pair of break points against the Argentine while firing 11 aces and hitting 28 winners overall.  He outpointed Comesana 62-53.

In the other semifinal, Bublik will face 116th-ranked Arthur Cazaux of France, who defeated 154th-ranked Swiss wild card Jerome Kym, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5, in two hours and 13 minutes. Kym was playing in his first ATP Tour quarterfinal.

Around Roy Emerson Arena

No. 3 seeds Hendrik Jebens of Germany and Albano Olivetti of France advanced to Sunday’s doubles final after defeat Arjun Kadhe and Vijay Sundar Prashanth of India, 7-5, 7-5, in one hour and 22 minutes. The German/French duo outpointed the Indian pair 70-54.

Saturday’s other semifinal will match-up No. 1 seeds Francisco Cabral of Portugal and Lucas Miedler of Austria against Swiss wild cards Jakub Paul and Dominic Stricker. 

Friday’s EFG Swiss Open Gstaad results

Saturday’s EFG Swiss Open Gstaad order of play

By the numbers

A total of seven different Swiss players have been Gstaad semifinalists. The first was Heinz Gunthardt in 1980. The most recent was Stan Wawrinka in 2008. Roger Federer was twice a Gstaad semifinalist, in 2003 and 2004.

“Quotable …”

“I think the start of the third set was the key moment [in winning the match.] I was really nervous the whole match but I think I managed the nerves in the beginning of the third set. I was able to play more with rhythm. I’m really happy to be in the semifinal tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”‘

– Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse, who advanced to his first ATP Tour semifinal, during his on-court interview.

 

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