In a stunning upset at the ATP 500 tournament in Rio, Francisco Comesana, currently ranked 86th in the world, clinched his first-ever ATP semi-final berth. The Argentine tennis sensation achieved this feat after delivering a scintillating performance against world no. 2, Alexander Zverev. The match, which pushed both players to their limits, lasted a grueling two hours and 31 minutes, with Comesana eventually prevailing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Despite suffering a setback in the second set, Zverev appeared to regain his footing, amassing a promising 4-1 lead in the final set. However, the German player’s dominance was short-lived. Comesana staged an extraordinary comeback, seizing control of the next five games, securing his spot in the tournament’s last four with eight more points than his adversary.
Throughout the clash, Comesana demonstrated superior prowess behind the first serve and proved to be more decisive in critical moments. Despite being the lower-ranked player and suffering three breaks, Comesana retaliated with four breaks of his own, two of which occurred in the deciding set.
The match wasn’t without its fair share of unforced errors, with both players tallying more errors than winners. Zverev, in particular, found himself embroiled in a 25-33 ratio and left Comesana with 27 direct points and 35 mistakes. While Zverev managed to secure four more service winners than his opponent, they were evenly matched in terms of baseline play.
However, Comesana’s mastery was evident at the net, where he outclassed the world no. 2. The Argentine won a remarkable 17 of 20 points after charging forward, leaving Zverev struggling with a dismal 8-21 ratio. Notably, Comesana was able to turn the tide early on, exploiting a mistake by Zverev to secure an early break in the first game.
The Argentine continued to apply pressure on Zverev in the second set, leading to a crucial break at 2-3. Zverev’s miss on a routine volley allowed Comesana to pull ahead 4-2. Despite facing break points while serving at 5-3, Comesana held his nerve, denying Zverev any chance of a comeback and forcing a decider after a hard-fought hour and 40 minutes.
The final set saw Zverev regaining some ground early on, thanks to his effective serving and a timely break. However, a double fault in the seventh game provided Comesana with the opportunity to break back. The Argentine seized this chance, leveling the score at 4-4.
The pressure seemed to get to Zverev, who faced break points in the ninth game. A double fault by the German handed Comesana the advantage, with the Argentine serving for the match at 5-4. Unfazed by the gravity of the moment, Comesana landed two service winners and induced a forced error from Zverev, earning himself three match points. He capitalized on the first of these with a smash winner, marking his career’s most significant victory to date.