The ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco witnessed an absolute shake-up on Wednesday as illness and unexpected upsets took down the top five seeds. The night turned disastrous for some of the biggest contenders, with stomach issues forcing withdrawals and young rising stars stealing the spotlight.
Stomach Woes Force Ruud, Paul, and Rune Out
Second seed Casper Ruud and third seed Tommy Paul were both forced to withdraw before their second-round matches due to stomach illnesses. Paul was the first to concede, handing a walkover to fellow American Marcos Giron. Later, 2023 finalist Ruud followed suit, allowing local favorite Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez to advance without a contest.
“I was hoping to overcome this stomach illness that showed up yesterday and tried everything I could to be able to play tonight, until the very last moment,” Ruud shared on Instagram. “Hoping to come back stronger in a couple of days and return to Mexico next year.”
Fourth seed Holger Rune faced a similar fate, citing food poisoning as the reason for his early exit. The Danish star retired just three games into his match against Brandon Nakashima, expressing his frustration on social media: “Furious and so sad at the same time. Had food poisoning and was unable to play today.”
Young Gun Learner Tien Stuns World No. 2 Zverev
One of the biggest surprises of the tournament came from 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien. The young talent delivered a stunning 6-3, 6-4 victory over top seed and world No. 2 Alexander Zverev.
Tien, who had already made headlines with a fourth-round run at the Australian Open last month—including a win over Daniil Medvedev—continued his dream season with another Top 5 victory.
This victory makes Tien the youngest player to defeat a Top 3 opponent since Carlos Alcaraz in 2022 and the youngest American to do so since Andy Roddick’s triumph over Gustavo Kuerten in 2001.
After trailing 1-4 in the second set, Tien showcased remarkable composure, winning the final five games to seal the win.
Other Notable Results
- Fifth seed Ben Shelton also bowed out, losing 7-6 (3), 6-3 to David Goffin.
- Eighth seed Tomas Machac and ninth seed Denis Shapovalov avoided the chaos, both advancing to the quarterfinals.
Tien will now face Tomas Machac in the quarterfinals as he continues his breakthrough run in Acapulco.
With illness shaking up the draw and young stars rising, the Acapulco Open is proving to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments of the year. Stay tuned for more action!
Leave a Reply