• De Miñaur (No.9) says he’s “at the best level of his career”.
• All four favorites look to advance to quarterfinals

Los Cabos, February 20, 2024.- The third day of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo 2024 has this Wednesday the eight matches of the round of 16, where the top four seeds will appear, the German Alexander Zverev (1), the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (2), the Australian Alex de Miñaur (3) and the Norwegian Casper Ruud (4). 

Tsitsipas and De Miñaur starred in the 2023 final at the Mextenis stadium of the Cabo Sports Complex, a title that went to the Greek.

De Miñaur arrives at the Mexican tournament at the peak of his career despite losing the final in Rotterdam on Sunday to Italy’s Jannik Sinner.

“Right now I’m feeling like I’m getting to the level in my career where I’ve always wanted to be, I’m in the Top 10 and that’s a goal I’ve had since I was very young,” said De Miñaur upon his arrival in Mexico and after breaking into the world’s Top 10, where he occupies, as of Monday, the No. 9 rung. 

“I see myself closer and closer to where I’ve always wanted to be and I’m really looking forward to it, I hope that what’s left of my career I can improve even more and reach better positions,” he added.

About his arrival in Los Cabos, he said that he arrives “with a lot of confidence. This year I have been playing at a very high level and I am very happy with that”.

He accepted that it is “a little difficult the change from Rotterdam indoor and fast court to Los Cabos, with heat and slow court, it is a sudden change, but I am looking forward to my match (he will play against American Alex Michelsen) and see what happens”.

There will be 11 matches on Wednesday, eight in singles and three in doubles.

SINGLES, ROUND OF 16, WEDNESDAY

(3)Alex de Miñaur (AUS) -Alex Michelsen (USA)

Aleksander Vukic (AUS) – (2)Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)

(1) Alexander Zverev (GER) – Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 

Rinky Hijikata (AUS) – Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)

(4)Casper Ruud (NOR) – Marcos Giron (USA)

Daniel Evans (GBR) – Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)

(8) Jordan Thompson (AUS) – Emilio Nava (USA)

(7) Max Purcell (AUS) – Nuno Borges (POR)

DOUBLES, ROUND OF 16, WEDNESDAY

(1)Santiago Gonzalez (MEX)/Neal 

Skupski – Rodrigo Pacheco (MEX)/Diego Schwartzman (ARG)

Jan Zielinski (POL)/Hugo Nys (MON)- Evan King (USA)/Reese Stalder (USA)

Diego Hidalgo (ECU)/Cristian Rodríguez (COL)/Gonzalo Escobar (ECU)/ Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ)

• The Mextenis Stadium once again hosted three matches on its second day, but unfortunately the public support was not enough for the two Mexicans, Rodrigo Pacheco and Ernesto Escobedo, to advance but they gave their best effort.

Los Cabos, February 20, 2024.- The second day of activities of the eighth edition of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo left bittersweet sensations for the national fans present at the ATP 250 in Los Cabos. 

The two Mexicans invited to the main draw, Ernesto Escobedo and Rodrigo Pacheco, were eliminated in their debut. While Diego Schwartzman, who also received a wild card from the tournament, was eliminated at the Mextenis Stadium by American Emilio Nava, who came from qualifying.

The stellar match was that of the young Mexican Pacheco, who thrilled everyone with a first set of great level which went to tie break against a tough opponent as Aleksander Vukic, 27 years old and No. 72 of the ranking. Rodrigo, 18, had only 54% effectiveness in his first serve, while the Australian served eight aces. 

For the second set, the competition remained very close and they went to tiebreak again, but in the end Vukic prevailed. Pacheco’s was the best performance the young Mexican has had in Los Cabos and the crowd cheered him on until the end.

It still wasn’t enough to overcome a Top 100 player, but the tiebreak was extended and the final result was 7-6(5)-7-6(10) in favor of Vukic. 

“It was an amazing match, I had my chances to be able to win it, I could have won but I feel that the experience against very good players is missing me, having the chances and not taking them. I got a little nervous with the excitement of closing it out and being able to win my first ATP match, I had to be more relaxed, that was the difference,” Pacheco revealed after the match.

“I just got nervous, those double faults normally don’t happen to me. When I was going to serve, after the first one and missed, my hand got tense and went far, I have to keep learning”, concluded the Mexican.

Previously, the Argentine Schwartzman, champion in 2019 in Los Cabos, failed to take his duel against the American to a third set and the match ended up being defined after just 1 hour 30 minutes 6-4, 6-3. 

Diego reached the top eight in the world in 2020, but at 31 years of age and after injuries that relegated him to No. 115 in the ranking, he has hinted that he will soon consider retirement if he does not recover his level.

The winner of the Argentine, 22-year-old Emilio Nava, celebrated with a “Viva Mex” in the camera lens after his victory.

Meanwhile, Jordan Thompson, currently ranked No. 40, celebrated his victory over Mexican Escobedo 6-4, 6-3 with the confidence of his serve and eight aces. 

The 29-year-old Australian is going through his best moment as a professional and after the double faults of the Mexican representative, he consolidated his pass after 1 hour 44 minutes of match. 

“It was a bit of a difficult match for me, Jordan is a very good player who adapts very well. It’s a process, with sun or cold I need to play”, assured Neto, as Ernesto Escobedo is known by his acquaintances.

• They joined the pair formed by Mexican Hans Hach Verdugo and Venezuelan Luis David Martinez in the second round.

Los Cabos, February 20, 2024.- Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes Varela and Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi advanced this Tuesday to the second round of the doubles tournament of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo 2024 in Los Cabos.

The Latin American pair beat Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Australia’s John Peers, the third seeded pair, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 11-9.

“It was a difficult start, we were 5-0 down in the first set, but it was a bit misleading score, because in the first set the two breaks they get are in decisive point, then we won our first game at the end of the set and to start the second we went from less to more,“ Reyes Varela told the media. 

The Mexican said that together with Andreozzi “we showed the courage to go for our opportunities and in the end we were able to close the match that fell on our side”.

For a place in the semifinals, Reyes Varela and Andreozzi will play against Mexico’s Hans Hach Verdugo and Venezuela’s Luis David Martinez.

Reyes Varela said that they are going to prepare the match “and enjoy it among friends and now yes, let the tennis come out and let the local public enjoy because we will be happy that a Mexican is in the semifinals”.

“We know each other well and there will be no surprises, it will be to see who can execute better at the time of the opportunities”, exposed the Mexican.

On the same day, the Australian pair formed by Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, fourth seeded, defeated brothers Stefanos and Petros Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-3.

Meanwhile, the American William Blumberg and the Norwegian Casper Ruud won 6-3, 6-3 against the British Jack Draper and Daniel Evans.

• Three matches were played on the opening night of the eighth edition of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo

Los Cabos, February 19, 2024.- Three singles matches were played at the Mextenis Stadium on the opening day of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo. The action started at 4:00 p.m. local time with the match between Daniel Evans and Roman Safiullin, followed by a close match between Max Purcell and Matteo Arnaldi, while Thanasi Kokkinakis closed Monday night against Jack Draper.

The all-star match went to three sets after the Australian managed to discomfort the young Draper and define the match in almost three hours 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. Kokkinakis did not look like a favorite when facing the No. 53 ranked player, however his familiarity with the Los Cabos ATP 250, the schedule, weather and fan support served as factors in his victory over the Briton. The tie break of the second set ended up frustrating Draper, on the other hand Thanasi, who was a finalist in 2017, managed to break serve at a crucial moment of the third set and with service for the match did not miss the opportunity to clinch his ticket.

Previously, the 22 year old Italian took his duel against Purcell to a third set that ended in a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory for the Australian after two and a half hours of play. Arnaldi was a recent Davis Cup champion with Italy and is one of the promises of the circuit, however he ran into a solid night from the world No. 51 and said goodbye to Los Cabos prematurely.

“It was a very physical match but I gained confidence… The weather is cold, I would have liked to play during the day but obviously there would not be people, but no doubt many of us enjoy being here, it is very nice here in Mexico” said after his victory Max Purcell, who will meet his opponent in the second round this Tuesday between Dominik Koepfer and Nuno Borges.

For his part, Evans, currently ranked No. 42, celebrated effusively his victory over No. 38 Safiullin, whom he defeated 6-2, 6-4. The 33-year-old Briton has two ATP titles to his name and his best moment came in the summer of 2023 when he reached the No. 21 ranking. Now he will have to face Kokkinakis for a ticket to the third round.

• The Argentinean and the two Mexicans reached the tournament through wildcards and are looking for a surprise.

Los Cabos, February 19, 2024.- The second day of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo 2024 has 10 matches scheduled this Tuesday, seven in singles and three in doubles.

Mexican players Ernesto Escobedo and Rodrigo Pacheco and Argentinean Diego Schwartzman, all three of them wildcards, will be playing in the tournament, in addition to Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. 

SINGLES

Ernesto Escobedo (MEX) – Jordan Thompson (AUS)

Aleksander Vukic (AUS) – Rodrigo Pacheco (MEX)

Diego Schwartzman (ARG) – Emilio Nava (USA)

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) – Rinky Hijikata (AUS)

Taro Daniel (JPN) – Marcos Giron (USA)

Dominik Koepfer (GER) – Nuno Borges (POR)

Flavio Cobolli (ITA) – Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)

DOUBLES

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)/Petros Tsitsipas (GRE) – (4) Max Purcell (AUS)/ Jordan Thompson (AUS)

Jack Draper(GBR)/Daniel Evans (GBR) – 

William Blumberg (USA)/Casper Ruud (NOR) 

Miguel Angel Reyes Varela (MEX)/Guido Andreozzi (ARG) – (3) Harri Heliovaara (FIN)/John Peers (AUS)

The tournament’s eighth edition features a main draw where the top four seeds are: German Alexander Zverev (1), Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (2), champion in 2023, Australian Alex de Miñaur (3), last year’s finalist, and Norwegian Casper Ruud (4), who advanced bye the first round.

Since its first edition in 2016, the tournament’s champions include Ivo Karlovic, Sam Querrey, Fabio Fognini, Diego Schwartzman, Cameron Norrie, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

• Americans Alex Michelsen and Aleksandar Kovacevic are in second round in singles

Los Cabos, February 19, 2024.- Mexico’s Hans Hach Verdugo and Venezuela’s Luis David Martinez advanced to the second round in the doubles tournament of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo 2024 being played this week in Los Cabos.

The Latin American pair defeated Australians Rinky Hijikata and Aleksander Vukic by 6-4, 3-6, 11-9. 

In the next round, the Mexican and the Venezuelan will face the winners of the match between Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes Varela and Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi against Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Australia’s John Peers, third seeds, who play on Tuesday.

“It was a great match, it was not easy. I felt playing like at home with the Mexicans supporting,” said Venezuelan Martinez after the match.

“The first rounds are very difficult. Luis and I are friends, we trained well and although it was complicated the match we won it and we are in the second round,” said Mexico’s Hach Verdugo.

Earlier, also in doubles, Portugal’s Nuno Borges and Sweden’s Andre Goransson defeated Australia’s Andrew Harris and Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 7-6 (6), 6-2. They now await the winners of the match between Greeks Stefanos and Petros Tsitsipas against fourth-seeded Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

In the singles matches, American Alex Michelsen won 6-3, 7-6 (3) against Frenchman Constant Lestiene in 1:50 hours of play. While in the duel between Americans Aleksandar Kovacevic beat Brandon Holt 6-1, 6-4 in 70 minutes. Kovacevic awaits the winner of the match between Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic and Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, who play on Tuesday.

• An Italian and three Americans won the four passes in contention to play in the main draw.

Los Cabos, February 18, 2024.- Italian Flavio Cobolli, top seed in the qualifying tournament of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo 2024, won one of four tickets to play in the main draw of the tournament being played this week in Los Cabos.

Cobolli defeated Australian Marc Polmans in two sets 6-3, 6-3.

On Sunday’s qualifying day, Americans Emilio Nava, Brandon Holt and Aleksandar Kovacevic also won their tickets to the main draw.

Nava won 7-5, 7-5 against his compatriot Aidan Mayo; Holt beat Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 6-3 and in another American duel, Kovacevic defeated Zachary Svajda 6-4, 6-4.

In addition to the three Americans who won qualification tickets, the main draw already included their compatriots Marcos Giron and Alex Michelsen.

In the first round, Cobolli will face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka; Nava will face Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman and Holt and Kovacevic will eliminate each other.