Francisco Cerúndolo and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo are much more than just a pair of tennis-playing brothers.
With diametrically opposing personalities, the two brothers, who live under the same roof with their parents Alejandro and María Luz, and their sister, Constanza, have always been side-by-side in their journey through the world of tennis. On Wednesday, one of their shared dreams will come true when the two Argentines square off for a place in the quarter-finals of the IEB+ Argentina Open.
After a rainy Tuesday and a delay of several hours, Juan Manuel took down Román Burruchaga after three and a half hours of tennis. Shortly thereafter, Francisco sealed the deal against Luciano Darderi, 6-4, 6-4.
No sooner had the first Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter between the Argentine brothers been confirmed than the two took to social media with their immediate thoughts on the news. “Prepare the popcorn”, began Juan Manuel.
Francisco responded: “I don’t know how many families can say that two brothers are playing each other in the last sixteen of a home ATP event. Tomorrow, whatever happens, we all win. Proud to play the night session at the Lawn Tennis Club.”
However, after each of them had made their initial, more formal posts, the banter began: “No getting wound up and bothering your opponent tomorrow!” began the younger brother Juan Manuel, to which the elder Francisco quickly replied: “Respect your elders, know your place!”
Jokes aside, they agree that it will not be an easy match and that they would rather play any other opponent. Why? Humility and family empathy.
“It’s not great, I can’t lie, I hope that we can put on a show, that our parents don’t get too stressed and they can enjoy it. But I wouldn’t choose to play with my brother because one of us is going to lose,” said Francisco, the current No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Juan Manuel added with a smile: “When I got through qualifying and the draw came out, I didn’t like that I’d play him if I won, because it would be an uncomfortable match... If you win you feel a bit guilty, but at the same time, because he’s much better than me, I feel like I won’t feel anything. If he wins, he’ll feel guilty.”
The Cerúndolo family lives and breathes tennis. They cannot imagine a life without racquets, racquet bags and tennis balls everywhere. The brothers’ father, ‘Toto’, coaches many Argentine players and reached No. 309 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 1982.
“Our house is a locker room. We talk about sport, about tennis, all day. As parents, we never forced them into sport, or made them feel they had to be good,” Toto said. “We brought them up with sport as a foundation for their lives and they each took their own path, which today makes us so proud.”
In the family structure, mum, María Luz, plays a fundamental role. Also a player, she later qualified as a psychologist specialising in sports and travels with her sons around the world as much as possible. The Cerúndolo’s mother keeps their feet on the ground and brings harmony to the family unit.
Francisco explained that his brother taught him to be more professional.
“When he won the tournament in Córdoba in 2021 and I reached the final in Buenos Aires in the next one, both at the same time, it was incredible for us... That’s where I think we believed we could make it on Tour,” ‘Fran’ said a couple of years ago. “He’s always wanted to do everything perfectly since he was small and I learned so much, from nutrition to training better... I found it hard when I was younger, I was pretty lazy and I learned to be disciplined from him, and it shows in my daily life now.”
What will it be like for the family?
“We haven’t spoken about anything, but I’m sure they’ll be in the stands, relaxed. They might be nervous, but it’s a nice reward to play each other in an ATP event, and something we’ve dreamed of, it makes the whole family very proud,” Francisco said.
“Honestly, we’re not at all stressed. We share a lot, we get on very well and we’re going to be cracking up laughing. We’ll have fun with one another, and we’ll go out on court to try and compete fairly and the best player will win.”
Did You Know?
The Cerúndolo brothers will be bidding for a place in the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires. It will be their first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash, but their third as professionals. The previous two encounters were taken by Francisco, at the ITF F3 in Villa Maria in 2017 with a 6-2, 6-3 win, and then at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Campinas in 2021, when Francisco won again, 6-1, 7-5 in the quarters.
Matches between brothers on the ATP Tour since 2000
| Players | Tournament |
| Francisco Cerundolo vs. Juan Manuel Cerundolo | 2025 Buenos Aires |
| Alexander Zverev d. Mischa Zverev | 2018 Washington |
| Gerald Melzer d. Jurgen Melzer | 2016 Kitzbühel |
| Olivier Rochus d. Christophe Rochus | 2000 Palermo & 2002 Wimbledon |
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