Rio Open Makes Brazilian Tennis History: Wild's Quarter-final Quest
The 10th edition of the Rio Open presented by Claro marks a historic moment for Brazilian tennis. Thiago Wild secured a spot in the quarter-finals, ensuring at least two Brazilian representatives for the first time. Tonight, at 6 PM, he aims to become Brazil's first semi-finalist in South America's biggest tournament.
In a match halted by rain and resumed from Wednesday night, Wild defeated Spain's Jaume Munar 2 sets to 1, with scores of 6/2, 4/6, and 6/3, achieving his best performance in an ATP 500 event. Since 2017, no Brazilian player has reached the top eight at the Rio Open.
Thiago Monteiro and Felipe Meligeni's match for the round of 16 is ongoing, potentially adding a third Brazilian to the quarter-finals. Wild praised the strong showing of Brazilian players and emphasized the significance of their success for the sport in the country.
Looking ahead to the semi-finals, Wild faces a tough opponent in current champion Cameron Norrie. Despite Norrie's shorter time on court and favoritism, he acknowledges Wild's talent and expects a challenging match.
In doubles, Rafael Matos, partnering with Colombian Nicolas Barrientos, advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the fourth-seeded German pair Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. They will now face the Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori for a spot in the final."