Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz delivered a performance that surpassed expectations in his Rio de Janeiro Open debut, turning a rain-disrupted match into a convincing victory against Brazilian qualifier Mateus Alves, who was ranked 556th in the ATP standings. The match, which stretched from Tuesday into Wednesday due to weather, showcased Alcaraz’s resilience as he navigated muddy courts and a tough crowd at the Brazilian Jockey Club.
As the defending champion and world No. 2, fresh off winning the Argentine Open, Alcaraz faced a determined opponent invited by the tournament organizers. The Spaniard wasted little time once play resumed, sealing a 6-4, 6-3 win in an hour and 56 minutes on Wednesday, after rain had suspended play on the previous day.
In the Round of 16 at Rio, the current US Open champion was slated to meet Fabio Fognini of Italy, who defeated Chilean Marcelo Barrios Vera 6-2, 6-3 in a 1 hour and 30 minute match. Fognini, who reached the Rio Open final after a memorable semifinal win against Rafael Nadal in 2015, had to cope with the persistent mud but managed to push through against Barrios Vera, a 196 ATP player, on Wednesday following a rain interruption that paused their game on Tuesday.
Fognini then faced Alcaraz in the 2024 Rio Open semifinals, a rematch from last year when Murcian captured his first ATP title here. The Italian also had to complete a match that had been suspended due to rain, finishing 6-2, 6-5 in a tight finish that reflected the weather-marred day at the venue.
Returning to the Rio Open debut narrative from 2023 onward, the scene at the Jockey Club echoed the unpredictable nature of the event. Alves, seizing the moment early, earned the first break and briefly stunned the crowd by maneuvering into a 2-0 lead. Alcaraz responded quickly, erasing that deficit and leveling the score before the end of the first set. The duel persisted with fierce exchanges as both players held serve and pressed for the crucial edge.
Midway through the set, the local crowd cheered as Alcaraz broke Brazil’s resistance and moved ahead 4-3, turning the momentum in the Spaniard’s favor. Alves, buoyed by the support around him, fought to extend the set, saving a break point and forcing the Spaniard to work for every service game. The first set ended in 49 minutes with Alcaraz taking a 1-0 lead in the match.
As the second set began, Alves did not surrender easily. He opened by holding his serve and even threatened to put Alcaraz on the defensive, showcasing his speed and aggressive baseline play. The Spaniard, known for his relentless pace, struggled at times with first serves, giving Alves opportunities to pressure the return game. The energy from the young Brazilian, a rising talent from Sao Joao and Rio Preto, kept the matchup tense as the two traded long rallies and precise shot-making.
Alcaraz’s edge began to show in the late stages of the second set as he began to manage his service games more cleanly, despite Alves’s constant attempts to disrupt the rhythm. Alves endured a long stretch without a timeout, and as the set progressed, he found himself under increasing pressure. A dramatic turn occurred when the match was briefly halted for safety reasons after the crowd was evacuated as lightning and rain intensified above the arena, delaying play for several minutes.
When play resumed, the weather shift did not favor Alves, who saw his serve falter under pressure as Alcaraz capitalized. The Spaniard surged to a 4-3 lead, then watched the rain intensify again, and the match was suspended as the score read 5-3 in Alcaraz’s favor. On Wednesday’s restart, Alves managed to hold serve but could not halt the inevitable as Alcaraz closed out the set 6-4 and secured the 2-0 victory in the match with a flawless finish, earning the win without dropping a point in the final stretch.
The Rio Open continued to unfold with clear implications for the rest of the tournament, as Alcaraz demonstrated his ability to conquer adverse conditions and maintain high-level play even when the court and weather conspired against him. This performance reinforced his status as a formidable contender in this year’s event, with a potential series of matchups that could shape the tournament’s momentum in the coming rounds. The crowd witnessed a decisive display of skill, strategic shot-making, and mental toughness that underscored why Alcaraz remains one of the most watched players on the tour, especially in North American and European markets where his rising star continues to attract attention. Citation: Rio Open event coverage and match reports provide the contextual backdrop for this summary.”