Argentina’s Baez wins Rio Open title as gamers ask for extra prime tournaments in South America

Sebastian Baez received his fifth and largest title Sunday with a 6-2, 6-1 victory towards his Argentine compatriot Mariano Navone on the Rio Open.

The fifth-seeded Báez wasn’t significantly challenged by the 22-year-old Navone, a qualifier, within the last of the clay-court event.

Neither of the 2 Argentinians had been among the many favorites to raise the title, however defending champion Cameron Norrie, Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka and Nicolás Jarry had all stumbled.

Báez is the second Argentinian to raise the trophy, with Diego Schwartzman the primary in 2018.

Báez is about to climb to a career-high No. 21 within the rankings on Monday, from his present No. 30. Navone will change into a prime 100 participant for the primary time, reaching No. 60 after Rio.

Regardless of a considerably tepid last in Rio de Janeiro, some excessive profile tennis gamers previous and current have argued in favor of extra prime tournaments in South America to please the keen crowds that flocked to the Rio Open and the Argentina Open earlier this month.

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“Unpopular opinion. South America ought to have its personal devoted swing on the tennis tour with its personal Masters collection,” stated three-time main winner Andy Murray on the X platform, previously often known as Twitter. “The way in which the followers help the tournaments there may be unimaginable. Wonderful atmospheres and is clearly a part of their sporting tradition. Vamos, ATP Tour.”

Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker agreed: “Why unpopular? You’re completely proper. Tennis ought to go to international locations/continents the place tennis is booming.”

Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman requested for extra strain.

“Let ATP know this, Andy. Yearly they put us much less help,” he stated, including there must be extra tournaments in South America “not simply due to how the followers help the tournaments,” but in addition “what number of gamers now we have and we had on the highest.”

“We deserve greater than this from ATP,” Schwartzman stated.