Paraguayan tennis player Dani Vallejo was unable to live up to his favourite status at the Paraguay Open 2026. The top seed, world number 99, suffered defeat in the round of 16 at the Rakiura venue in the city of Luque, losing to Uruguayan Franco Roncadelli, the world number 332, by 3-6, 4-6.
Vallejo, Paraguay’s number one player at age 21, had been expected to progress further on home soil after a convincing first-round win, 6-2, 6-2 over Argentine qualifier Carlos María Zárate.
Defeat after solid Paraguay Open 2026 start
In his first Paraguay Open match, Vallejo claimed four breaks across both sets in this match, without conceding a single break of his own. His serving was equally commanding: 85% first-serve points won and 69% on second serve, compared with 58% and 42% respectively for the player from the Río de la Plata region.
However, in the next round Roncadelli proved too strong, capitalising on opportunities to secure a straight-sets victory in 1 hour and 49 minutes. This upset saw the local favourite eliminated early, much to the disappointment of the home crowd. Roncadelli then continued his impressive run, only to lose in the finale against Italian Gianluca Cadenasso (7-6, 6-0).
Vallejo’s loss marked a tough setback for the young player, who holds a career-high ranking of 99. Paraguay’s rising star had a sensational start to the 2026 season, clinching his second ATP Challenger title in as many weeks in Concepción, Chile, last month. The 21-year-old overcame home favourite and top seed Alejandro Tabilo in a three-set thriller.
Early exit for other Paraguayans
The Paraguay Open 2026, at its third edition, was held at the Rakiura Tennis Club in Luque, near Asunción, and continued to deliver competitive clay-court action in the region.
18-year-old Paraguayan Alex Santino Nunez Vera lost his first round match against Murkel Alejandro Dellien Velasco from Bolivia (3-6, 2-6). Paraguayan Hernando Jose Escurra Isnardi, age 28, was defeated by Pedro Boscardin Dias (5-7, 2-6).
