Mexican Open Round-Up: Zverev and Shelton lead mass elimination of favourites, Quarters Set

The ATP 500 Mexican Open saw a massive elimination of favourites in the Round of 16, including Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, and Casper Ruud. The draw is now wide open for players who weren’t considered top contenders, advancing by capitalising on irregular moments or injuries from their opponents.

Denis Shapovalov and Learner Tien are among the big names in the quarters, where local teenager Rodrigo Pacheco and the experienced David Goffin will also fight for a spot in the semifinals. The possibilities are wide open in a draw where no clear favourites emerge.

The big surprise of the day was the victory of qualifier Learner Tien over world No. 2 Alexander Zverev (top seed) with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4. The American continues to be a giant killer, adding this victory to his win over Daniil Medvedev (No. 5) at the Australian Open.

Tien will face Czech Tomas Machac, who is currently at his career-high ranking of world No. 24 and could rise further if he defeats Tien. Machac has already knocked out his compatriot Jakub Mensik and German Daniel Altmaier, starting the year strongly and aiming to reach his first semifinal since the Shanghai Masters, where he lost to none other than Jannik Sinner.

Former Next Gen ATP Finals champion Brandon Nakashima benefited from a Holger Rune injury, only having to play three games before the Danish player retired. The American barely spent any time on court but secured his place in the quarterfinals, following his first-round victory over Benjamin Bonzi by 7-6, 7-5.

Nakashima will face former world No. 7 David Goffin. The experienced 34-year-old has been on a seven-match losing streak but seems to have found his form again this week, breaking the streak with a victory over Rinji Hijikata. In the second round, Goffin surprised 5th seed Ben Shelton with a 7-6, 6-3 win. Both players have a strong opportunity to continue advancing to the semifinals.

Denis Shapovalov, alongside Machac, is one of the few seeded players to make it to the quarters, and he is arguably the favourite. The former world No. 10 is on a seven-match winning streak, including three top-10 victories on his way to the Dallas Open title, and in Mexico, he doesn't seem to be slowing down. Wins over Americans Nishesh Basavareddy and Alex Michelsen extended his great form.

Shapovalov will meet Marcos Giron, who, like many, was an unlikely quarterfinalist, especially considering he faced 3rd seed Tommy Paul in the second round. Paul, recently ranked in the top 10, ultimately withdrew from the match due to an injury, seeking to prevent any aggravation before Indian Wells. Despite this, Giron knows what it’s like to beat Shapovalov, having defeated him earlier this year at the Adelaide International in straight sets.

After more than a decade of drought, the Mexican crowd saw a local male player win a match on home soil. No Mexican player had won in Acapulco since Santiago Gonzalez in 2011, when he faced compatriot Daniel Garza in a wild-card match.

This time, it was the promising 19-year-old Rodrigo Pacheco who secured his first ATP Tour victory by beating Australian Aleksandar Vukic 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4). Few would have predicted that Pacheco would go on to surprise world No. 8 Casper Ruud in the second round, eliminating the tournament’s second seed. This win is the biggest of Pacheco’s career, who reached world No. 1 in the junior rankings in 2023 and is part of the new generation challenging the established stars, led by Arthur Fils, Joa Fonseca, and Learner Tien, all under 20 years old.

Pacheco will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 49), the Spaniard who continues his pursuit of a return to the higher ranks of the ATP. Staying true to his style, he defeated Frances Tiafoe (No. 7) in a three-set thriller 6-3, 6-7[6-8], 6-3. The 25-year-old is looking to maintain his good form after reaching the final at the Delray Beach Open two weeks ago.