Sebastian Baez wins Rio Open and calls for more top tournaments in South America – Tagblad Suriname

Sebastian Baez won the Rio Open with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Argentina's Mariano Navon. The victory marked Pace's fifth title and his biggest to date. Paez dominated on clay in the match in Rio de Janeiro, becoming only the second Argentine to win the tournament since Diego Schwartzman in 2018.

The final between the two Argentinian players was a little unexpected, with top options like Cameron Nori and Carlos Algarz eliminated early. With the win, Baez will climb to 21st in the world rankings, while Navon will enter the top 100 at 60th.

The win comes amid calls from tennis world figures including Andy Murray and Boris Becker for more top tournaments in South America. They cite the region's great atmosphere and strong sporting culture as reasons for an expanded tour calendar on the continent. Argentina's Diego Schwartzman has called on the ATP to give more support to South America, given the number of top players from the region and the enthusiastic reception of the tournaments by fans.