Tabilo spoils Fonseca's Buenos Aires return, wins dramatic second-round conflict

Buenos Aires

Tabilo spoils Fonseca’s Buenos Aires return, wins dramatic second-round conflict

Etcheverry, Kopriva, Navone advance at ATP 250

February 12, 2026

Alejandro Tabilo claimed an exhilarating win on the IEB+ Argentina Open Wednesday, beating the defending champion Joao Fonseca 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 within the second spherical and lengthening the Brazilian’s difficult begin to the 2026 season.

Regardless of letting slip a break lead at 3-1 within the third set, Tabilo finally capitalised on Fonseca’s 33 unforced errors to seal the victory on his third match level in a two-hour, 24-minute battle.

“I used to be very linked with the group. They helped me by means of all of it,” Tabilo mentioned. “Loads of nerves on the finish, however I really feel like we performed an excellent recreation, very sensible techniques and simply outlasted him. I knew he was going to come back out swinging and I simply needed to be very strong.”

Tabilo received 77 per cent (40/52) of his first-serve factors and saved 57 per cent (4/7) of the break factors he confronted, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats. With the overcome No. 33 within the PIF ATP Rankings Fonseca, Tabilo earned his first High-50 win on clay since upsetting No. 5 Novak Djokovic within the second spherical on the ATP 1000 occasion Monte-Carlo final April. He’ll face seventh seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry within the quarter-finals.

Fonseca, who withdrew from Brisbane and Adelaide as a consequence of a decrease again damage and misplaced within the opening spherical on the Australian Open, was unable to carry out in opposition to the Chilean’s ball-striking. He claimed his first tour-level title a yr in the past in Buenos Aires. The 19-year-old former Subsequent Gen ATP Finals champion will hope to regain type when he competes subsequent week on the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro, his hometown.

Etcheverry booked his quarter-final spot by rallying previous fellow Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-4. The Argentine saved a set level within the opening set. With the win, the 26-year-old recorded his fiftieth tour-level clay-court victory.

In different motion, Vit Kopriva halted eighth seed Matteo Berrettini’s run within the second spherical by defeating the Italian 6-4, 6-3. Berrettini was competing in his first event of the season after withdrawing from the Australian Open as a consequence of an stomach damage. By defeating Berrettini, Kopriva turned the primary Czech quarter-finalist within the event’s historical past and can face prime seed Francisco Cerundolo or Hugo Dellien within the final eight.

Mariano Navone defeated Emilio Nava 6-2, 6-1 to guide his second-round spot.