RIO DE JANEIRO/WASHINGTON, February 24, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
Within a few minutes of each other at the ATP 500 Rio Open presented by Claro early Friday evening, Argentines Sebastian Baez and Francisco Cerundolo each secured quarterfinal victories to advance to an all-Argentina semifinal showdown on red clay Saturday night.
The No. 5 seed Baez reached his first semifinal above ATP 250 level with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 victory over 117th-ranked Brazilian wild card Thiago Monteiro, in two hours and 13 minutes on Quadra Guga Kuerten. He outpointed his lefty opponent 80-73.
First ATP 500 semi-final: Unlocked 🔓@sebaabaez7 outlasts Monteiro 6-4 1-6 6-2 to book an all-Argentine date with Cerundolo!#RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/KuhyCiEriB
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2024
With his victory, Baez reached his ninth ATP Tour semifinal overall and second of the season following Cordoba two weeks ago.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match, the Brazilians play better at home and it was exactly that,” the 30th-ranked Baez said afterward. “Now it’s time to prepare for tomorrow because it’s gonna be another difficult one.”
Meanwhile, the 22nd-ranked and fourth-seeded Cerundolo recovered in time to defeat No. 58 Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, in two hours and 23 minutes on Quadra 1. He saved 12 of 14 break points he faced and was outpointed 90-89.
Cerundolo is through to his ninth ATP Tour semifinal overall, third at an ATP 500 event and the second time at the Rio Open following his last-four appearance in 2022.
Comeback COMPLETE 🫡
No. 4 seed @FranCerundolo turns the tables on Lajovic 3-6 6-4 6-4 to reach his 9th ATP Tour semi-final! @RioOpenOficial | #RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/eEwXmhnhau
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 23, 2024
If Cerundolo beats Baez, it would mean a return to the ATP Top 20 next week for the first time since November. However, an improvement of his ranking is not on Cerundolo’s mind right now.
“To be honest I am not thinking about my ranking and that was not my objective for the week. I wanted to find my best tennis and I’m glad I did,” Cerundolo said after his securing his fifth win of the season and his seventh lifetime in Rio.
Back where he belongs 🙌@FranCerundolo defeats Lajovic 3-6 6-4 6-4 to reach the semis in Rio – and return to the top 20 of the ATP rankings!#RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/juwjKlMnVh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2024
Baez and Cerundolo, both born in Buenos Aires, share some history on the tennis court. They’ve faced each other at tour-level once – in the finals at Bastad, Sweden in 2022, won by Cerundolo, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
“We’ve known each other since I was 10 and we’ve played a lot in the past,” Cerundolo said. “It’s gonna be a very tough match for sure, he plays really well on clay and I’ll have to be playing on my highest level to beat him.”
Norrie faces first real defense of his Rio title
It took defending champion and No. 2 seed Cameron Norrie five match points to put away Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild, who had the Rio crowd behind him throughout the two-hour quarterfinal match. However, the World No. 23 from Great Britain was up to the challenge and prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 to advance to his first ATP Tour semifinal since Lyon last May.
“I was just really proud of how I fought hard,” Norrie said in his on-court interview. “It was so humid and it was tough physically. I managed to break there in the end, so I’m proud of myself.”
Now, Norrie is through to his 24th tour-level semifinal and he’s the third defending Rio champion to reach the semifinals, joining Rafael Nadal in 2015 and Carlos Alcaraz last year. No player has won the Rio singles title twice.
The double is still alive 🏆@cam_norrie sees off Seyboth Wild 6-1 3-6 6-2 to move within two wins of retaining his title in Rio!#RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/wSgmQtYcv9
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 24, 2024
With his victory over the 82nd-ranked Seyboth Wild, Norrie improved to 8-3 in 2024. He’s also 33-3 on clay against players who are ranked outside the Top 50 since the start of the 2021 season.
On returning to the semifinal round in Rio, Norrie said: “It’s massive. I had a tough patch at the end of last year and I just wanted to stay strong. It’s wins like this that make it count.”
Keep calm and Cam 🔛
On a fifth match point, the defending champ returns to the semi-finals punching his ticket over Seyboth Wild 6-1 3-6 6-2.@RioOpenOficial | #RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/4hSrd1HQ3u
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 24, 2024
On Saturday night, Norrie will meet 22-year-old Argentine qualifier Mariano Navone, who ended the dream run of 17-year-old Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, in two hours and 20 minutes.
The 113th-ranked Navone has enjoyed a career week in Rio by building upon what he accomplished earlier this month, after making his ATP Tour debut two weeks ago in Cordoba as a wild card, and then qualifying for Buenos Aires last week. First, he defeated No. 85 Federico Coria of Argentina in the opening round to capture his first ATP Tour win, then earned the biggest win of career over No. 56 Yannick Hanfmann in the second round to reach his first ATP Tour quarterfinal.
Victory Vamos 🇦🇷@RioOpenOficial | #RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/XOFKivo42Q
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 24, 2024
Against Fonseca, Navone converted seven of 13 break-point opportunities and won 50 percent of his return points to edge his opponent. Navone outpointed Fonseca 86-83.
“To be in a semifinal in my first ATP event coming from the qualifying is simply unbelievable,” Navone said. “Today against Joao, I had to fight my nerves, the weather and a guy who’s playing really well. I never played in a stadium this full and I could not be happier with the win.”
Navone will make his Top 100 debut on Monday, rising to No. 76 following his victory over Fonseca.
From qualifying to the semifinals 🇦🇷
Mariano Navone ends Fonseca’s run 2-6 6-3 6-3 and makes it THREE Argentines in the Rio semis!#RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/OR9TncDACh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 24, 2024
Meanwhile, the Rio native Fonseca became the first player born since 2006 to play in an ATP Tour quarterfinal and he’s the second-youngest ATP 500 quarterfinalist since the series began in 2009. He started the week ranked 655th and following his two victories, Fonseca has risen to No. 341 on the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
“It was a dream week for me. This was the biggest tournament I ever watched as a kid and I always dreamed of playing here,” Fonseca said in his post-match news conference. “To be winning matches in here at such a young age, against great players is really special to me. It’s gonna be a week I will always remember. I want to thank the crowd for the support and now I need to work to keep having more moments like this.”
A valiant effort.
We look forward to seeing more Fonseca in the future…@RioOpenOficial | #RioOpen10Anos pic.twitter.com/nGyl9JN8XK
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 24, 2024
Around the Jockey Club Brasileiro
Retired Spanish star David Ferrer, who won the second edition of the Rio Open in 2015, returned as a guest of the tournament at the Jockey Club Brasileiro as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. He played his last Rio Open in 2017.
David Ferrer (photo: Rio Open/Fotojump)
“I was really happy to get this invitation, I know a lot of people who still work at the tournament and I was really impressed with how much the event has grown ever since I last came here,” Ferrer, the former World No. 3 said in a news conference.
“This was a very well-organized event when I came, held in a club, like the one in Barcelona, but I was impressed with what I saw. It definitely evolved in many aspects, like the player’s room, and I just regret that I cannot go back in time to enjoy it more then I did back then, being so focused on playing.”
Saturday’s Rio Open order of play
By the numbers
WIth three Brazilian quarterfinalists in the Rio Open, it’s the most Brazilians in an ATP Tour quarterfinal lineup since 2001 at Costa do Sauipe, Brazil.
“Quotable …”
“I’m really good friends with both Thiagos and it makes me really happy to be part of such an important moment after so many legendary Brazilian players. But I want to keep going.”
— Joao Fonseca of Brazil, during his post-match news conference Thursday, on the occasion of three Brazilians reaching the quarterfinals for first time in the 10-year history of the Rio Open.
“I’ve known Joao since he was a kid and with Monteiro I used to practice with him when I was a kid and he always inspired me. It great to be with them in this and it would be really cool to have at least one of us in the semis.”
— Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil, during his post-match news conference Thursday.
