“They didn’t give me even a chance”: Scheduling row erupts at Rio Open after Francisco Cerundolo exit

Thursday, 19 February 2026 at 19:00

Cerundolo waits for the ball to hit a backhand at the Madrid Open

Francisco Cerundolo made his complaints about the Rio scheduling after his retirement in his second-round duel. The tournament responded to the Argentine’s claims regarding the scheduling of his match against Thiago Tirante, in which he faced him. A clear disadvantage before retiring in the middle of the second set.

And it is that the World No. 19 arrived at the ATP 500 Rio Open – second tournament of the South American Golden Swing – as the recent champion of the Argentina Open. One week earlier in his home tournament, Cerundolo took personal revenge for two previous defeats in the final and lifted the title in Buenos Aires for the first time, defeating the Italian Luciano Darderi in last Sunday’s final.

Quickly, Cerundolo had to travel to Brazil, where he had to play the first round on Tuesday. Cerundolo overcame the first test against Mariano Navone in straight sets, and the organisation determined that he would play his second-round duel on Wednesday – one day later.

Barely 24 hours later, Cerundolo returned to the court, despite having made a request to play on Thursday – just like other second-round matches. After his retirement with the score 2-6, 1-3, Cerundolo stated that he had made the request to play his match on Thursday – like other matches of the same round, but his request was not heard – at least according to his version.

“Yes, of course I made a request, but they didn’t give me even a chance. The truth is I can already imagine who they prioritise,” commented the Latin American No. 1 to Todo Sobre Tenis. “I hadn’t even started playing yesterday’s match (first round against Navone) and I was already out here playing today. So it was a bit pointless to make a request because I didn’t even know if I had won.”

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Replying to @Tsobretenis

Fran cuenta que hizo un pedido para no jugar hoy: “pero no le dieron ni una chance”. Teniendo en cuenta que estaba programado que Fonseca sea el que juegue ese día.

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12:24 AM · Feb 19, 2026

Cerundolo questions Rio scheduling after demanding week

According to Cerundolo’s version, he was not arriving in the best physical condition and was expecting consideration from the tournament, after having played the final in Buenos Aires on Sunday. The top-20 player stepped onto the court 6 of the last 7 days – and in between included a 2,800-kilometre trip between the Argentine capital and the Brazilian coastal city.

“It was a pain I was carrying, but it didn’t make it impossible to play, until in the first set it started to get a bit more complicated,” he commented regarding the retirement against Tirante. “When you are not at 100% in this type of matches, it becomes very difficult. At this level I would have lost to anyone, I couldn’t run. Thiago did his job impeccably.”

Rio Open denies any request and defends ATP protocols

However, the response from the Rio Open arrived forcefully, as they assured that Cerundolo made no request, in addition to reiterating their commitment to transparent and impartial rules. “The Rio Open clarifies that there was no request from the aforementioned athlete to the tournament organization,” they mentioned in a statement. “We reinforce that all decisions are made in accordance with ATP protocols and guidelines, with complete transparency.”

“Our commitment is to always balance the needs of athletes, the public and national and international TV broadcasting, ensuring that all procedures follow clear and impartial rules.”

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The tournament will continue playing the second round this Thursday, when local star João Fonseca will return to the court – facing young Peruvian Ignacio Buse, in addition to Matteo Berrettini facing Dusan Lajovic.

On the other hand, Cerundolo will travel to Santiago for his next tournament at the Chile Open – where he will once again be the first seed and main favourite for the title. The Argentine hopes to bounce back in the final stretch of the Golden Swing, at a tournament where he defends the semifinals reached in 2025.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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