Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz advances to Rio Open semi finals as he faces Cameron Norrie
In Rio de Janeiro, the world’s second-ranked Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz defeated Chilean Nicolás Jarry with a comeback in a tight match, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-0. The victory pushed Alcaraz into the semi-finals of the Rio Open and set up a clash with England’s Cameron Norrie in the final. The upcoming title match at the ATP 500 event in South America will feature the same pair who contested the Argentine Open final last week, with Alcaraz and Norrie both known for their strong performances on clay. Alcaraz sits at number two in the ATP rankings and is among the tournament’s top contenders in Rio.
The 19-year-old, who hails from Murcia, faced a grueling two hours and 42 minutes in the first set against Jarry, who sits at 111 in the ATP rankings. Alcaraz briefly required a massage after a demanding start that saw him fall behind, but he recovered and refocused, hitting aggressive returns against the 1.98-meter Chilean opponent. Returning to the tour just last week after a four-month hiatus due to injury, Alcaraz has already claimed a title and reached a final, gaining confidence against a player who had not faced him before. Alongside Argentina’s Máximo González, he has previously reached the Rio Open semi-finals in 2018 and secured a team championship in 2019.
Jarry’s run in Rio marked his first ATP semifinal since 2019, following an extended absence from the main circuit after an eleven-month suspension in early 2020 for a doping violation. He nonetheless impressed by defeating the sixth seed Argentine Sebastián Báez and the No. 21 ATP player and third seed Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals to reach the semi-final stage.
Who will Alcaraz play in the final? Norrie, the No. 3 seed, won his semifinal in Rio after defeating Bernabé Zapata Miralles 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 in a match that stretched to a deciding tiebreak. The British player, who has captured four ATP titles this season, has achieved a remarkable 17 wins so far and is heading into his fourteenth career final, the third this year. The semi-final clash promises a high-energy showdown as both players push for the Rio title on clay.
Alcaraz displayed a strong surge in the second set, turning the tide after a challenging start where Jarry capitalized on opening opportunities and took an early 4-1 lead. Alcaraz found his rhythm midway through the set, winning crucial games and forcing a decisive tiebreak in which Jarry emerged ahead 7-2. The Spaniard regrouped in the second set and then the third with renewed vigor, breaking Jarry’s serves and holding his own to clinch the set 6-0 and secure the match victory.
The Rio de Janeiro ATP 500 continues through Sunday on the clay courts at the Brazilian Jockey Club, offering a total prize pool of 2.2 million dollars. The tournament forms part of the South American clay-court circuit that begins with the Cordoba Open and Argentina events, and will culminate next week in Santiago, Chile, with an ATP 250 event. The action remains a highlight for players seeking clay-season momentum and ATP ranking points in the South American season.