The Rio swing delivered another twist on Wednesday night as momentum quickly turned into concern for the crowd inside the Quadra Guga Kuerten. What looked like a routine second-round clash suddenly ended early, leaving the tournament without its top seed. Francisco Cerundolo was forced to retire from his second-round match at the Rio Open presented by Claro after suffering a back injury while trailing compatriot Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-2, 3-1.

The Argentine had arrived in Rio full of confidence following his title run at the Argentina Open, and he began his campaign solidly with a straight-sets win over Mariano Navone. But his rhythm didn’t last long in the second round.

Francisco Cerundolo struggled early as his compatriot Thiago Agustin Tirante dominated the opening set 6-2. After just one game in the second set, the top seed called for the physio and received treatment on his lower back. The discomfort visibly limited his movement, and the match quickly slipped away.

Moments later, Tirante fired his seventh ace of the match to move ahead 3-1. Cerundolo barely attempted to chase the ball and immediately walked forward to the net, shaking hands with his friend and signaling retirement. What an unfortunate ending to what could’ve been a really entertaining duel between the two Argentinians!

After the match, Cerundolo explained the situation and hinted at scheduling frustrations. “I didn’t expect to have to play two games in a row between yesterday and today. I asked them not to schedule me like that, but they didn’t even give me a chance. I can already imagine who they prioritize… I had a strain in my right lower back.”

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Currently ranked 19th in the world, Francisco Cerundolo has a win-loss record of 7-2 this season (as per the ATP website). However, the withdrawal not only abruptly ended his Rio campaign but also raised concerns about whether the Buenos Aires champion can maintain his form through the demanding South American clay swing.

Meanwhile, Tirante moves into the next round, where he will face the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo. What did Thiago Agustin Tirante say about this unfortunate ending to the all-Argentine clash in Rio?

Francisco Cerundolo’s opponent shares kind words for him after his mid-match withdrawal at the Rio Open

Sometimes the scoreboard doesn’t tell the full story. Wednesday night in Rio was one of those moments, as concern replaced competition in an all-Argentine battle. Top seed Francisco Cerundolo’s unfortunate mid-match withdrawal secured an easy path to the QF for Thiago Agustin Tirante. But instead of celebration, the immediate reaction was empathy.

Tirante wrote “Get well soon, Fran” on the camera lens moments after the handshake, making it clear the result came second to his concern for his friend. During the post-match interview, the 24-year-old continued in the same tone.

“It’s not good to win like this, especially with Fran, one of my friends. At 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.”

The heartfelt reaction summed up the mood – a victory earned, but not enjoyed. Francisco Cerundolo had arrived in Brazil carrying momentum and expectations. Earlier this month, the 27-year-old Argentine spoke about raising his level at the biggest tournaments after a strong 2025 season but disappointing Grand Slam results.

“I had a great year in 2025, but I feel like I failed in the Grand Slams, so I wanted to focus on that this year. I’m currently at No. 19, to keep progressing in the ranking, I must perform well in the big tournaments where you get more points.” He also added, “So one of my goals this year is to get as many points as possible in the Majors so that then the 250 or 500 tournaments also help. Since I feel like I failed in that regard last year, one of the goals I set for myself this year is to have better performances in the Grand Slams.”

Francisco Cerundolo’s Rio withdrawal, therefore, hurts more than just one tournament run – it interrupts rhythm at a crucial point in the South American swing. But do you think the Argentine superstar can make a strong comeback in the 2026 season?