Francisco Comesana: From the streets of Argentina to stunning Rublev at Wimbledon

No. 2 Court on a mild Tuesday afternoon at Wimbledon was the scene for the first major shock of this year's men’s draw. On his major debut, Argentine Francisco Comesana stunned World No. 6 Andrey Rublev in four sets to earn his first tour-level win.

Immediately after his victory, the 23-year-old raised his arms aloft before he let out a beaming smile. A few hours later Comesana made his way to a small room in the Wimbledon media centre, which overlooks the grounds and the London skyline.

Sat back in his chair with a grin, Comesana switched his phone onto silent. He then placed it on the table in front, with the screen facing down to provide a brief respite from the continuous messages of congratulations that he was receiving.

“I have had lots and lots of texting coming in. My family is in Argentina now and I have spoken with them and my girlfriend, who is very excited,” Comesana told ATPTour.com. “My phone will break with all the messages I am receiving! My friends keep texting too.

"It is amazing. I just enjoyed every moment of the match. I tried to enjoy the occasion, the crowd. It was my first time playing on a court that big. I am enjoying this moment and I am enjoying playing on grass. I am very happy.”

Comesana’s journey to this moment started 16 years ago in the Argentine coastal city Mar del Plata, located 400 km from Buenos Aires. The 23-year-old’s first sporting love was football and he used to play most evenings.

However, one afternoon that changed. Comesana was heading down to play football on the concrete pitch by his family home when his friend approached him with a tennis racquet. Unconvinced, the then-seven-year-old agreed to try tennis, and from there, there was no going back.

“I used to play football when I was a child. I would play with friends but then one day my friend asked me if I wanted to try tennis, so I started because of him,” Comesana said. “I played and I thought I played quite well and enjoyed it. My friends then quit playing but I loved it. I started to practise more and more, but I didn’t have my friends to play with, so I just started hitting against a wall. I hit against the wall for four or five hours a day. Then when my friends tried to come back to play it was impossible for them as I had improved.”

Comesana started to live and breathe tennis, with the sport quickly becoming his main passion. The Argentine trained at the Edison Lawn Tennis club in his hometown and recalls watching countrymen Juan Martin del Potro and David Nalbandian play on TV.

“I remember watching Del Potro and Nalbandian play a lot. They were amazing players. They achieved so much,” Comesana said. “I have never spoken with them but maybe after this win I will!”

Comesana first competed at ITF Futures events in 2017, playing solely on clay until 2020 when he earned his first hard-court win at that level. In 2021 he moved to Cordoba and in 2022 he won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title. Four further Challenger Tour trophies followed, all on clay, with Comesana reaching a career-high No. 87 in the PIF ATP Rankings in May this year.

Comesana lost in qualifying at the US Open in 2022 and 2023 and at the Australian Open in January. Having finally earned his main draw major opportunity at Wimbledon, the 23-year-old is enjoying the chance to rub shoulders with some of the sport’s biggest stars.

“When I am not playing tennis I am watching tennis,” Comesana said. “On Sunday if there is a final on somewhere on ATP [Tour], I will wake up early and make sure I watch. Tennis is my life, so it is great to be here.

“I love to watch Sinner and Alcaraz play, they are amazing players. I have seen them around here at Wimbledon and it is cool. I have watched them on the practice courts here and it is great.”

Tuesday’s match against Rublev was just Comesana's fourth at Tour level and his first on grass. The World No. 122 will aim to continue his run when he plays Adam Walton in the second round on Tuesday.

Having arrived in the UK with limited grass-court experience two weeks ago, he is starting to find his groove on the surface.

“I have only played two matches on grass but maybe I am a grass-court player as I have a 100 per cent record of matches won at Wimbledon,” Comesana joked. “I have played most of my matches on clay and would say I am more of a clay-court player but it is amazing to be here at Wimbledon. Now we see what happens.”

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