Argentine tennis player Tomás Etcheverry claimed the ATP 500 Rio de Janeiro title by beating Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the final. This win marks his first ATP circuit trophy, achieved after playing two matches in one day due to rain delays. The 26-year-old Etcheverry rose to 36th in the live rankings.
Tomás Etcheverry, from La Plata and ranked 51st in the ATP, completed an epic Sunday at the Jockey Club Brasileiro. He first resumed his semifinal against Czech Vit Kopriva, defeating him 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) in nearly four hours of play spread over two days, interrupted by rain and extreme heat.
Hours later, with clear physical fatigue, he faced Tabilo in the final. The Chilean took the first set 6-3, capitalizing on his fresher condition. Etcheverry fought back in the second, breaking serve and winning the tie-break 7-3 to force a third set. There, he broke in the third game and held serve to close 6-4 on his third match point, under Rio rain.
This triumph follows lost finals in Santiago and Houston in 2023, and Lyon in 2024, during an irregular season start for the Argentine. The match was marked by weather issues that rescheduled Saturday's play. Etcheverry celebrated by collapsing on the clay with his team, greeting his opponent.
The Rio ATP 500 is the most important event in the South American swing, and this win marks a turning point in Etcheverry's career.
