Francisco Cerundolo was forced to retire from his second-round match at the Rio Open due to a lower back strain. The top seed was trailing compatriot Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-2, 3-1 when he withdrew. The incident occurred on Wednesday night at the Quadra Guga Kuerten.
Francisco Cerundolo, the 27-year-old Argentine ranked 19th in the world, entered the Rio Open presented by Claro with strong momentum after winning the Argentina Open title and defeating Mariano Navone in straight sets in the first round. However, his campaign ended abruptly in the second round against fellow Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante.
The match took place on February 18, 2026, inside the Quadra Guga Kuerten in Rio de Janeiro. Tirante took control early, winning the first set 6-2. In the second set, after just one game, Cerundolo called for the physio to treat his right lower back. The injury limited his movement, and following Tirante's seventh ace to lead 3-1, Cerundolo approached the net, shook hands, and retired.
Cerundolo later commented on the scheduling: “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.” His season record stands at 7-2 according to the ATP website.
Tirante, 24, expressed sympathy post-match, writing “Get well soon, Fran” on the camera lens. In his interview, he said: “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.” Tirante advances to face Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the quarter-finals.
Cerundolo had discussed his goals earlier this year, reflecting on 2025: “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.” The withdrawal interrupts his rhythm during the South American clay swing.
