The Mexican Open in Acapulco opened with a familiar question. How many local players can push into the spotlight once the lights come on? This year’s answer arrived early in qualifying, when three Mexican wild cards were turned back in two-set matches. That leaves 20-year-old Rodrigo Pacheco carrying the singles flag into the main draw, with a seeded opponent waiting. For expats planning a night session, the local singles scene is now centered on one name. Mexico still has a presence in doubles, but the singles spotlight has narrowed fast.
Qualifying closes the singles door for three Mexicans
Mexico’s qualifying push ended in the opening round, keeping three home players out of the main singles draw. Alan Magadán fell to Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 7-6, 6-3. Rafael de Alba was beaten by Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro 6-2, 6-2. Alex Hernández, the last Mexican still alive in the bracket, lost 6-3, 6-2 to Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong.
All three had entered the qualifying field as wild cards, part of the tournament’s effort to give local players a path into the main draw without relying on rankings alone. Qualifying in Acapulco typically offers a limited number of main-draw spots, so a single early loss ends the singles run for the week.
Pacheco becomes Mexico’s singles representative
With qualifying finished for the other Mexican entrants, Rodrigo Pacheco stands as Mexico’s only singles player in the main draw. The 20-year-old has become a familiar name for fans who follow Mexican tennis, and tournament organizers have leaned on him as their headline local entry in recent editions.
The draw sets up a clear measuring stick. Pacheco is scheduled to open against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, seeded fifth. For spectators, it is the kind of first-round matchup that tends to draw interest early in the week, before the tournament narrows to the seeded contenders.
Pacheco’s recent history in Acapulco also raises expectations. He reached the quarterfinals in the 2025 edition, a result that helped frame him less as a developmental story and more as a player capable of winning matches at this level. This year, with the other Mexican qualifiers already out, that pressure and attention land almost entirely on his first match.
Doubles keeps Mexican names in the draw
Mexico’s on-court presence does not end with singles. Three Mexican players are set to play doubles, giving local and expat fans another way to watch Mexican participation continue throughout the week.
Santiago González is entered alongside Dutch partner David Pel. Miguel Ángel Reyes Varela is paired with Portugal’s Nuno Borges. Pacheco is also expected to play doubles, teaming with Spain’s Rafael Jodar. Even as singles representation narrows, doubles offers multiple chances to see Mexican players in prime-time sessions.
What the schedule means for spectators
The tournament week in Acapulco runs from the qualifying weekend through the main draw, culminating in Saturday night finals. For expats who travel in from elsewhere in Mexico, the timeline matters: qualifying matches are compressed into the weekend, while the main draw begins Monday and runs through the end of the week, with night sessions common.
If the goal is to catch Mexican players live, the window is now more specific. Pacheco’s singles opener becomes the key early-week ticket for local singles interest, while doubles offers multiple entries across the week’s schedule. From there, the broader event quickly turns to its top seeds and late-round matchups, which tend to dominate the final days.
