World No. 25 Francisco Cerundolo sparked concern among fans following an emotional outburst during a recent practice session. The Argentinian was heard saying he "just wants to go home" during a training match against Joao Fonseca.
Cerundolo's On-Court Frustration
Cerundolo, 28, has endured an up-and-down 2026 campaign, the high of which was winning his first ATP 500 title at Queens in June. He also won his home Argentina Open in February after defeating Luciano Darderi in straight sets.
However, the demands of the campaign appeared to get to the South American as he trained with Fonseca in Cincinnati. The comments picked up between points may cause concern that all is not well for the ATP contender.
Words Picked Up Between Points
"I can't play," Cerundolo said on-court as he failed to get the desired control out of his shots. "I swear, I just want to go home [back to Buenos Aires]. I don't want to play anymore. I absolutely hate playing on this tour."
The comments could simply be a spur-of-the-moment show of emotion sparked by dissatisfaction with his play. However, it could also be a sign of how the relentless demands of featuring on the ATP Tour are starting to take their toll on a top-25 talent.
Mixed Reactions from Fans
Many fans failed to display much pity for Cerundolo, however. Replying to a clip of the Argentinian's breakdown posted on social media, some showed little sympathy and instead sought to remind the player just how fortunate he is to have reached the elite end of tennis.
"They don't realise how privileged they are," wrote one commenter before making light of Novak Djokovic vomiting on court at the Cincinnati Open this past weekend. "Just yesterday, 40-year-old Novak nearly had a heart attack whilst playing."
Another unsympathetic supporter wrote: "And this is the country's No. 1 player? I hope [Thiago Agustin] Tirante and [Facundo] Diaz Acosta will overtake him soon."
Concerns for Mental Health
However, there were those who aired their concerns over the incident as a third contributor said: "Mental health is the most important thing, and if he carries on like this, he won't make any progress by hoping for miracles."
Cerundolo has featured in the main draw of 18 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. The last time he failed to make the main draw of a major was the 2022 Australian Open when he bowed out in the first round of qualifying, having made his Grand Slam debut just one year prior.
He exited the Cincinnati Open's men's singles draw following a straight-sets defeat to Nuno Borges in the second round. However, he'll hope to recover ahead of the US Open getting underway on Sunday, having made it to the second round in each of the last three editions.
