The British Cameron Norriecurrent champion of the tournament, and the Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo, Sebastián Báez and Mariano Navonewon their quarter-final matches this Friday Rio de Janeiro Open and advanced to the semifinals of the only ATP 500 tournament in South America.
With three of the four semi-finalists, something unprecedented, Argentina is now guaranteed at least a place in the final and makes history in a tournament where the Argentine Diego Schwartzman is already champion in 2018 and finalist in 2022.
One of this year’s finalists will be determined this Saturday in the match where Norrienumber 23 in the world and second favorite in the Brazilian tournament, will face off Navonea young 22-year-old Argentine who is currently ranked 113 and needs to play in the qualifying phase to reach the main bracket of the Brazilian tournament.
Another finalist will emerge, also on Saturday, from the rivalry between two Argentines who have known each other since they played in children’s tournaments: Cerundumthe fourth favorite in Brazil despite occupying the 22nd place in the ranking, and Bazfifth favorite and currently 30th best in the world.
Norrie, who? In 2023 he won the Rio Open title by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the finalstarted this year’s Brazilian tournament as the second seed, but now the leading contender because the Spaniard, number two in the world, had to leave the competition in the first round afterwards sprained right ankle.
The British and current champion advanced to the semifinals after winning this Friday of 6-1, 4-6 and 6-1 against Brazilian Thiago Wild in two hours of play.
Its competitor is Navone, which needs two hours and 20 minutes to remove Brazilian Joao Fonsecawho is still the sensation of the tournament because, at 17 years old, he has been the youngest tennis player to reach the quarterfinals of an ATP 500 this century.
Fonseca, a Carioca with public support, said goodbye to the tournament played in his home with his first two victories on the professional circuit after being US Open junior champion last year.
The Argentine won in sets 2-6, 6-3 and 6-3 after coming back from a set in which the Brazilian was clearly superior and in a match where he played under pressure from the public.
In the other semifinal, Cerúndolo and Báez, two of their country’s best and current reigning champions, will face each other 22nd and 30th place in the rankingwhich will be measured for the first time in an ATP 500 tournament.
Cerúndolo won Friday 3-6, 6-4 and 6-4 against Serbian Dusan Lajovic (58 ATP) in a match that lasted two hours and 23 minutes, while Báez won 6-4, 1-6 and 6-2 over Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (117 ATP) in two hours and 13 minutes.
Both have officially met four times, with two victories for each: Báez won the Concepción and Campinas Challengers in 2021 and Cerúndolo won the Future 6 in Argentina in 2018 and the ATP 250 final in Bastad in 2022.
The tenth edition of the Rio Open runs until Sunday on the clay courts of the Brazilian Jockey Club and awards a prize of $392,775 to the winner.
Source: La Verdad
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