RIO DE JANEIRO – Tomás Etcheverry pushed his body and his career to their limits to capture the ATP 500 title in Rio de Janeiro. The Argentine claimed his first crown after three lost finals and a gruelling weekend that saw him spend more than seven hours on court between Saturday and Sunday. He defeated Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 7-6(7-3), 6-4.
“It’s a dream come true. I’ve been chasing my first title for a long time. I’ve been working so hard with my team. This is the happiest day of my life. I can’t believe it,” said the 26-year-old, who ended a streak of three final losses and will return to the Top 40 in the rankings.
He played three hours and 57 minutes in the semifinals against Czech player Vit Kopriva (across Saturday and Sunday due to rain and extreme heat), and another three hours and six minutes in the final against Tabilo. He trailed 6-3, 3-1, but turned it around through sheer determination and resilience.
His Ironman-like Sunday extended Argentina’s proud tradition at Brazil’s most prestigious tournament. Alongside Etcheverry, Sebastián Báez (2024 and 2025) and Diego Schwartzman (2018) have also lifted the Rio trophy, giving Argentina more titles than Spain on Brazilian soil.
For the player from La Plata, this was his first professional title, leaving behind the frustration of three previous finals — in Santiago and Houston in 2023, and Lyon in 2024, where he fell to France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Etcheverry triumphed in a tournament defined by persistent rain and one of the most open draws in recent memory. Local favourite Joao Fonseca, tipped as the pre-tournament favourite, struggled with back and form issues and lost in the second round, while Matteo Berrettini — the biggest international name in the field — was a far cry from the Wimbledon finalist he once was.
That opened the door for players like Peru’s Ignacio Buse, Argentina’s Thiago Tirante, and finalists Tabilo and Etcheverry to shine. The new Rio champion will re-enter the Top 40, becoming his country’s second-highest-ranked player.
It’s a milestone moment — and one that should see him seeded at Indian Wells and a top contender in Santiago. The question now is: will he make the five-hour trip to Chile to possibly debut as soon as Tuesday? The tournament has not confirmed his schedule yet, but has said it will do everything possible to help players arrive in the best condition.
