Mexican tennis has made history in the Acapulco Open, a 500 category tournament, and it’s all thanks to the impressive performance of Rodrigo Pacheco. Ranked 355 in the ATP, his best classification yet, and a guest of the organization, Pacheco achieved his first professional victory on Tuesday. He defeated Aleksandar Vukic, ranked 66, with a score of 7-5, 4-6, and 7-6 (4). This win marks a significant milestone, as it’s been 29 years since a local player last tasted victory in a circuit duel.
Pacheco, the only Mexican with the level to enter the picture, will face Casper Ruud in the eighth, who is the second seed and fifth world racket. It’s worth noting that Pacheco has had experience in major tournaments before. Last campaign, thanks to a ‘Wild Card’, he played in Los Cabos and Acapulco, where he had a double debut with Vukic, precisely his victim yesterday, and the Serbian Dusan Lajovic.
Junior number one
The young Rodrigo has a long way to go, but he’s certainly showing promise. As the former number 1 in the ITF Junior Ranking in 2023, he’s got a lot to live up to. In 2022, he reached the quarterfinals in the Australian Open and Roland Garros Sub’18, demonstrating his potential. His premiere with the greats was in Los Cabos, back in 2022. With this win, Pacheco is making history and proving that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of tennis.