The 21st-ranked tennis player in the world, Argentinian star Francisco Cerundolo, shared his thoughts on why there are so few ATP-level tournaments held in South American countries.

“It all comes down to economics. Everything revolves around that now, regardless of whether we have talented players or not — tournaments are hosted where there is more money and sponsorship, no doubt about it. I wish there were more tournaments. There has definitely been an increase in Futures and Challengers in recent years, which is fantastic because it gives young players more opportunities to compete at home in South America without needing to travel elsewhere. When I reached the ATP level, there were only five Challengers and as many Futures — it was tough; I had to go to Europe or other places, often alone, without significant financial backing, maybe with a friend but without a coach,” said Cerundolo at a press conference following his quarterfinal match at the Masters in Madrid.

Cerundolo advanced to the semifinals of the Masters event, which runs from April 23 to May 4 in Madrid, after defeating Jakub Menšík with a score of 6-3, 6-7, 6-2.

He will compete for a spot in the finals against Norwegian player Casper Ruud, who triumphed over Russian Daniil Medvedev in his quarterfinal match, winning 6-3, 7-5.