And there’s more.
Baez has now won 18 of his last 19 matches during the “Golden Swing” string of clay-court tournaments held every year in February and early March, between the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
That stretch dates back to midway through last year’s Golden Swing—he went 9-0 en route to titles in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago last year, and he’s 9-1 so far in this year’s swing, going 1-1 in Buenos Aires (falling to Thiago Seyboth Wild in the second round) then 5-0 to win Rio de Janeiro again, and now 3-0 en route to another Santiago final.
Awaiting Baez in that final will be Serbia’s Laslo Djere, who took out top seed Francisco Cerundolo in the other semifinal, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Baez has beaten Djere in straight sets in both of their previous meetings, both times in 2023 and both times in quarterfinals, first in Santiago, 7-6 (4), 6-4, then in Winston-Salem on hard, 6-3, 6-0.
