Francisco Cerundolo claims maiden Argentina Open title in straight sets victory

[p]The top seed ‌and hometown hero needed just 97 ‌minutes to overcome second seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Darderi[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cerundolo-f-lWQ3G6gB/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/?mid=fcVVouFj"]at the clay-court ATP 250 event[/a], securing ‌his fourth career crown and ⁠first on ‌Argentine soil in front of friends and ​family.[/p][p]"[b]Probably the best moment of my career so far,[/b]" [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-francisco/lWQ3G6gB/"]Cerundolo[/a] ​said after the victory. "[b]I really wanted to win here in my ⁠hometown, in ​my country, with my friends and family and all the people here in Argentina. This feeling is amazing.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="63c7fc53-5825-46fe-9caa-30b6b58fe996" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2023138271706894576?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 27-year-old ‌Cerundolo, who had lost the finals in 2021 and 2023, completed the championship without dropping a set.[/p][p]The world number 19 saved six of seven break points, including all five in the opening set, to become the seventh home champion at ‌the tournament since it began in ​2001.[/p][p]"[b]I really fought throughout these ‌past years and tried to win. I couldn't do it, and today I played one of the best matches probably of my ⁠career,[/b]" he ⁠added.[/p]