Last week in Buenos Aires, Nicolas Jarry lost an emotional three-setter to Diego Schwartzman, who was competing in the final tournament of his career. Jarry refused to lose in another tough encounter Monday in Brazil.
The sixth seed rallied past Argentine qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 26 minutes to reach the second round of the Rio Open presented by Claro.
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The ATP 500 has been a happy hunting ground for the Chilean, who made the semi-finals in Rio de Janeiro in 2018 and 2023. This was his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Cerundolo, but two years ago they met in the final round of qualifying in Brazil.
Jaw-dropping Jarry! 🇨🇱@NicoJarry | @rioopenoficial | #RioOpen pic.twitter.com/jqiQo1r4cD
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2025
This time, Jarry delivered 12 aces and converted three of his 12 break points according to Infosys ATP Stats to earn a second-round clash against another Argentine, Francisco Comesana. The No. 86 player in the PIF ATP Rankings battled past home wild card Gustavo Heide 7-6(2), 6-7(7), 6-3 in three hours and 21 minutes.
While one seeded Chilean moved on in Jarry, third-seeded Chilean Alejandro Tabilo fell. Qualifier Chun-Hsin Tseng upset the lefty 6-2, 7-5.
"Today I was playing really good from the baseline and before the match I was pretty excited to play such a great player like Tabilo," Tseng said. "I was really looking forward to the match and just prepared really good before the match and just tried to play my best tennis on the court."
A Brazilian who advanced was wild card Thiago Monteiro, who ousted Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in two hours and 40 minutes.
"I have been having tough losses, some 7-6 in the third, so today I could manage to win," Monteiro said in his on-court interview. "[There is] no place I'd rather do it than here, so I'm really happy with this win, this victory. Facundo is an amazing player, I knew it would be a great battle."
Top seed Alexander Zverev learned who he will play in the second round if he is able to defeat Buyunchaokete on Tuesday. Kazakhstani Alexander Shevchenko eliminated Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-4, 6-2, breaking the home favourite's serve six times.
Spaniard Jaume Munar, a semi-finalist this year in Hong Kong and Dallas, surged past home favourite Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. The World No. 55 converted five of his seven break chances.
