Basilea y Viena abren la semana con cuatro argentinos en el cuadro principal

La semana europea arranca con los primeros pasos del ATP 500 en Basilea y Viena. Cuatro argentinos están assured of starting in the main draw: Mariano Navone in Switzerland, and Tomás Etcheverry and Francisco Cerúndolo in Austria. Juan Manuel Cerúndolo still has to get through qualifying to join the Swiss bracket. The cold is real, but the ball is about to be hit.

Navone, el único con lugar directo en Basilea

Navone, ranked 43rd, will face Monaco's Valentin Vacherot, currently 31st, in the opening round. If he advances, his second-round opponent will be Chilean Alejandro Tabilo or Spaniard Rafael Jodar. There is no easy road in Switzerland.

Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, 53rd in the ranking, is still alive in qualifying. He beat American Zachary Svajda 6-4, 6-3, and on Sunday will play Germany's Daniel Altmaier, ranked 65th, for a place in the main draw. Sebastián Báez is already out after losing to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Novak Djokovic and Ben Shelton, the recent US Open finalist, are among the top names in the Swiss tournament. The draw has weight, but the work starts much earlier, at the first match.

Viena: Etcheverry y Francisco, con Flinty draw

Tomás Etcheverry, 29th, opens against Italy's Matteo Berrettini, currently 47th and former world number 6. A win would put him against Flavio Cobolli or Grigor Dimitrov, the former top three. The goals are clear: survive, then look for the next match.

Francisco Cerúndolo, 20th, arrives in Vienna straight from the semifinals of the ATP 250 in Brussels, where he lost to Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 2-6, 6-3, 7-6. His first opponent will be Britain's Cameron Norrie, 41st. Thiago Tirante failed to qualify after losing to France's Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 7-6.

Alexander Zverev, world number 2, and Carlos Alcaraz, number 3, head the Vienna draw. The Argentines will have to earn every inch. The weekend promises first-round pressure, long rallies and, if the results cooperate, a place in the second round.