Francisco Comesana Tops Billy Harris 6-3, 6-4 in Rome Qualifying

francisco comesana beat Billy Harris 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Masters 1000 de Roma qualifying tournament and moved within one win of the main draw. The Mar del Plata player now gets Leandro Riedi on Tuesday at 5 a.m. local time in Argentina, with a place in the main draw on the line.

Comesana and Harris in Rome

Comesaña handled Harris in straight sets, ending the British player’s run before the qualifying draw reached its final round. The score line was tight enough to keep the match live, but Comesaña took the important points and kept the route to the main draw open.

Riedi comes in as the next barrier. The Swiss player, ranked No. 128, reached the final qualifying round by beating Vilius Gaubas 6-4, 6-2, and he had not played a single match on clay this season as of Monday. Comesaña has never faced him before.

Riedi Awaits Tuesday

That matchup gives Comesaña a clear target. Win on Tuesday and he enters the Masters 1000 de Roma main draw as the tenth Argentine in the singles field, joining Sebastián Báez, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Marco Trungelliti, Thiago Tirante, Román Burruchaga, Mariano Navone, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, Tomás Etcheverry and Francisco Cerúndolo.

The Argentine presence already runs deep enough that Etcheverry and Cerúndolo are seeded among the first 32 and will enter in the second round. Etcheverry opens against the winner of Román Burruchaga and Mattia Bellucci, while Cerúndolo waits for the winner of Alejandro Tabilo and a qualifier.

For Comesaña, the path is simple now: beat Riedi and he joins the main draw, fall short and the qualifying run ends one step from the field. Tuesday’s 5 a.m. start in Argentina decides which side of that line he lands on.