RIO DE JANEIRO/WASHINGTON, February 19, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
Francisco Cerundolo has been the premier clay-court player on the ATP Tour the past two years, leading the pack with 45 victories. The World No. 19 and top-seeded Argentine, one of nine players from Argentina who started in the main draw, brought a five-match winning streak into his second-round match against fellow countryman Thiago Agustin Tirante at the Rio Open presented by Claro on Wednesday evening.
On Sunday, Cerundolo captured his fourth ATP Tour title in his hometown of Buenos Aires at the Argentina Open. Three days later, trailing Tirante 6-2, 3-1 in the second round on Quadra Guga Kuerten at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, he was forced to retire due to a back injury.
An unfortunate ending
Buenos Aires champion Francisco Cerundolo is forced to retire with an injury, sending fellow Argentine Thiago Tirante into the quarter-finals.@RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/fBWAPBubgB
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 18, 2026
“It’s not good to win like this, especially with Fran, one of my friends,” Tirante said afterward, at the conclusion of the one-hour, 13-minute match. “Any moment, I didn’t see anything. I knew that he was very tired from last week, so I had to improve myself on the court and focus on me.”
One game into the second set, Cerundolo received physio treatment on his back. However, it wasn’t enough to enable him to continue much longer during the second-round match. Following the treatment, he continued for one game but was “barely moving” for the ball before deciding to retire. He walked to the net to shake hands with Tirante.
Espírito esportivo sempre
Boa recuperação, @FranCerundolo! ❤️#RioOpenpic.twitter.com/HQ6uY4qZIc
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 19, 2026
Tabilo reaches back-to-back quarterfinals
Meanwhile, No. 68 Alejandro Tabilo of Chile reached tour-level quarterfinals in consecutive weeks for the first time in his career, after making the last eight in Buenos Aires last week in which he knocked off 2024 champion Facundo Diaz Acosta and 2025 champion Joao Fonseca.
Tabilo defeated one of three remaining lucky losers, 163rd-ranked Francesco Passaro of Italy, coming from behind to win 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2. The loss denied Passaro from reaching his first ATP Tour quarterfinal.
Alejandro Tabilo queria muito ou pouco essa vaga nas quartas? #RioOpenpic.twitter.com/svhc5Xivt0
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 19, 2026
Around the Jockey Club Brasileiro
• No. 78 Juan Manuel Cerundolo, younger brother of Francisco, took a 2-0 head-to-head lead against 90th-ranked Yannick Hanfmann of Germany, who was looking to reach his 20th ATP Tour quarterfinal. As it happened, the 24-year-old Cerundolo squandered a set and a 5-2 lead against Hanfmann, 34, and needed to go the distance to hold on for a 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-4 victory that took in two hours and 49 minutes.
Cerundolo struck nine aces, hit 34 winners and broke Hanfmann’s serve five times in 14 attempts. He withstood 41 winners from Hanfmann and outpointed his opponent 105-101. He improved to 5-0 against German opponents.
Em quase 3h de partida, J. M. Cerundolo vence Hanfmann por 6/4 6/7 (1) 6/4 na Quadra 1
Nas quartas de final, ele enfrenta Vit Kopriva!#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/lejURkq7w7
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 18, 2026
• In the last eight, Cerundolo will face No. 87 Vit Kopriva of Czechia, who reached his fourth ATP Tour quarterfinal – and biggest one – with his 6-3, 6-1 win over 102nd-ranked Roman Andres Burruchaga of Argentina.
Kopriva (5-2 in tour-level matches this season) saved all six break points he faced and outpointed his opponent 65-47.
Kopriva nas quartas de final depois de fechar em 6/3 6/1 contra Burruchaga
Ele aguarda o vencedor de Cerundolo x Hanfmann!#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/312ieaKHfe
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 18, 2026
• In doubles, Brazilian wild cards Joao Fonseca and Marcelo Melo advanced to the semifinal round with a quarterfinal upset of two-time Rio winners and this year’s No. 2 seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina, 6-4, 6-0, in 69 minutes on Quadra Guga Kuerten. Also, No. 4 seeds Evan King of the United States and John Peers of Australia went down to Brazilian lucky losers Gustavo Heide and Guto Miguel, 6-0, 7-6 (8), in the first round.
Primeira vez jogando juntos ✅
Primeira vitória ✅
Primeira semifinal ✅
Em casa ✅Marcelo João #RioOpenpic.twitter.com/ZIcHrdkLBm
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 18, 2026
Meanwhile, No. 1 seeds Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul of France and No. 3 seeds Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Manuel Guinard of France advanced to the quarterfinal round with first-round victories.
(1) Doumbia/Reboul fecham o jogo e eliminam Demoliner/Romboli com 6/3 6/3
Os franceses enfrentam Frantzen/Haase nas quartas!#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/LZlWsu5oWP
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 19, 2026
Thursday’s Rio Open order of play
By the numbers
Since the start of the 2024 season, Francisco Cerundolo leads the ATP Tour with 45 tour-level wins on clay, followed by Luciano Darderi with 43. Rounding out the Top 5 are: Sebastian Baez 42, Alexander Zverev 41, Carlos Alcaraz 39.
“Quotable …”
” It was amazing. It was a battle emotionally. He made me angry because he was so aggressive. I was like a spectator; I could do nothing. It made for a difficult situation. Finally, I was able to win the match, so I am very happy.”
– Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina, during his on-court interview, following his comeback second-round victory over Yannick Hanfmann of Germany on Wednesday.
