RIO DE JANEIRO/STARNBERG, February 23, 2025
For the first time in Rio Open presented by Claro history, a French player will compete in the singles final. On Saturday at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, Alexandre Muller overcame Argentina’s Francisco Comesana to book his spot in the championship match against defending champion Sebastian Baez.
Muller has built an impressive record against Argentine players in professional tournaments across all levels, winning 15 of their 16 encounters. One of those victories came on Saturday night, as he defeated Comesana in a hard-fought battle, securing a 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-3 victory.
Massive from Muller @Alex2Mumu fends off Comesana 7-5 6-7 6-3 to book his spot in the @RioOpenOficial final! pic.twitter.com/QaAzgosoCn
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2025
After the match, Muller humorously referenced his strong track record against Argentine opponents, linking it to a possible “revenge” for France’s loss to Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar.
“I don’t know. I was sad after the World Cup final, so I had to do something for all the French people who were also sad after that match,” said Muller.
The Frenchman is aiming for the second title of his career, having won his first earlier this season in Hong Kong. With his impressive run at the Rio Open, the World No. 60 is set to achieve his career-best ATP ranking. Muller has built confidence with notable wins over top players like Andrey Rublev, Arthur Fils, and Felix Auger-Aliassime in recent months.
“This will be different because it’s my first ATP 500 final, while my previous two were at the ATP 250 level. I’m very happy with how my week is going here in Rio and excited for the final tomorrow. Against Baez, it will be a very physical match, and I’ll need a lot of confidence. It’s going to be tough, and I want to make the most of this opportunity to finish the week strong,” Muller said.
He also expressed his appreciation for the experience in Rio. “For me, it has been an incredible week. The tournament is fantastic. Everyone has been so nice to me, and I really enjoyed my time in Rio,” said Muller, who previously apologized for eliminating home favorite Joao Fonseca in the first round.
Melo/Matos delight home crowd with doubles triumph
Marcelo Melo and Rafael Matos claimed the Rio Open doubles title in a historic victory at the Jockey Club Brasileiro. The triumph marked Melo’s first ATP 500 title in Rio de Janeiro and the 39th title of his career, as well as the first-ever victory by an all-Brazilian duo on the tournament’s clay courts.
In an electric atmosphere on the packed Guga Kuerten Court, Melo and Matos defeated Spanish duo Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, after one hour and 37 minutes of play. Throughout the match—and the entire tournament—the Brazilian pair drew strength from the passionate home crowd, who pushed them to victory in an emotional and unforgettable night that stretched into the early hours of Sunday.
