Francisco Cerundolo says his meeting with Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon gave him a big confidence boost that he believes aided his recent triumph at the Swedish Open.
The Argentine claimed his maiden Tour title on Sunday in Bastad after defeating compatriot Sebastian Baez 7-6(4), 6-2, in the final. Earlier in the tournament Cerundolo also knocked out top seed Casper Ruud in the second round and fifth seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the semi-finals. Ruud is the first top 10 player he has beaten in his career. It is the first time the 23-year-old has won a Tour title after falling short last year at the Buenos Aires Open where he finished runner-up.
Reflecting on his latest win during an interview with La Nacion, Cerundolo says he has a greater belief in his game ever since playing 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal last month. At Wimbledon, he took a set off Nadal and led 3-1 in the fourth set before losing 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
“That match helped me in many aspects. Entering the center court of Wimbledon, at a full stadium and playing against Rafa, being able to maintain my emotions and not be totally scared, helped me a lot to know that, if I could play a great game there, I can do it anywhere.” He said.
“I was not overwhelmed by the situation and I convinced myself that I am prepared to face any challenge.’
“On a tennis level, having taken it to the fourth set and having had the chance to win that set and take it to the fifth, convinced me. Before on the grass tour, I had lost matches in the third set, very tight, I didn’t get it, I had a lot of anger about it and I was also angry about not having been able to take Rafa to a fifth set. We (his team) analyzed it and we realized that he was doing a great job, that at some point it was going to happen to me.”
Cerundolo didn’t make his top 100 debut until February this year. At the Miami Masters he became the lowest-ranked player in 37 years to reach the semi-final stage, as well as the first player to reach the last four of a Masters event on their debut since Jerzy Janowicz at the 2012 Paris Indoors.
“I think that from the beginning of the year I started to play great tennis and I knew that it would be a matter of time before the chances presented themselves to me, I had to be prepared and this week I showed it,” Cerundolo explained.
He will be hoping to continue his momentum into the upcoming North American hardcourt swing ahead of the US Open. He has played in the main draw of three Grand Slam events but is yet to win a match.
Describing tennis as a ‘sport of many egos,’ Cerundolo hopes his peers on the Tour will be taking more notice of him following his recent breakthrough. Nadal previously described him as a ‘very tough’ opponent following their Wimbledon clash.
“Starting to generate a name in the tennis environment is very important because It is a sport of many egos, in which everyone thinks they are the best,” he said. “And, in part, it’s like this: if you don’t think you’re good, it’s difficult for good results to come, because you’re alone on the court, you have to solve it alone. Being able to make myself that little place and that they begin to respect me, is very important.”
Cerundolo is currently at a ranking high of 30th in the world this week.
