Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023.- The prominent figure in wheelchair tennis and the main contender for gold at Santiago 2023 is Argentine Gustavo Fernández, a 29-year-old from Cordoba with global fame. 

He has already clinched gold in doubles at the Parapan American Games in Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019, and in singles, he was the best in Guadalajara 2011 and the two subsequent editions. 

Now, he's on course to replicate his success in singles as well. This Wednesday, he smoothly advanced to the semifinals, defeating Costa Rican José Pablo Gil at the Centro Deportivo de Tenis at the Estadio Nacional, with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in just 45 minutes, in the first match on the Grandstand court. 

Gustavo Fernández is currently ranked third in the world and reached the top spot in July 2017. 

He has secured five Grand Slam titles in singles: Roland Garros 2016 and 2019, Australian Open 2017 and 2019, and Wimbledon 2019. In doubles, he has claimed victories at Wimbledon 2015 with French player Nicolas Peifer, and at Roland Garros 2019 and Wimbledon 2022 alongside Japan's Shingo Kunieda. 

In the first matches of this Wednesday's Wheelchair Tennis session, Chilean Alexander Cataldo (now ranked 13th globally) defeated Brazilian Gustavo Carneiro Silva 6-1, 6-4, securing a spot in the semifinals. Brazilian Daniel Rodrigues (won 6-3, 6-2 against American Conner Stroud) and American Casey Ratzlaff (victorious with a 6-3, 6-4 score against Argentine Ezequiel Casco) also advance to the semifinals. 

Written by Marcelo González; translated by Vicente Valdivia / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Ph: Javier Vergara / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport