As the tennis season rolls on after the Australian Open, many tennis stars are turning their eyes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio Open ATP 500 is set to commence on February 19, 2024 with the final scheduled for February 25. Defending champion Cameron Norrie will look to defend his title but will face fierce competition from the likes of Carlos Alcaraz.
Cameron Norrie and Carlos Alcaraz faced off in the final of the event last year, when the Brit emerged victorious against the Spaniard. Norrie defeated Alcaraz 5–7, 6–4, 7–5 to win his first ATP 500 title of the year. The Rio Open has a tradition of the defending champion participating in the tournament again the following year.
The first ever Rio Open was held in 2014 with Rafael Nadal emerging as the champion. The Spaniard won the match in straight sets 6–3, 7–6 against Alexandr Dolgopolov to win the title. Carlos Alcaraz won the title as well in 2022 with a final win against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina, however, he was denied back-to-back titles by Cameron Norrie in 2023.
This will be the tenth edition of the tournament and fascinatingly, no player has been able to defend his title yet. The Rio Open 2024 will be a chance for Cameron Norrie to break that jinx. Also, this will also be a chance for Carlos Alcaraz and Cameron Norrie to get another title win to go past Rafael Nadal at the Rio Open.
Carlos Alcaraz and Cameron Norrie set to clash at the Rio Open 2024
Carlos Alcaraz and Cam Norrie will be the two star names heading the tournament in 2024.. Cam Norrie earned $376,620 with his win at the Rio Open 2024.
Other big name players participating at the Rio Open 2024 will be Stan Wawrinka, Arthur Fils, Marin Cilic and Nicolas Jerry. Carlos Alcaraz could be considered as the favorite going into the tournament as he aims to win his first title since Wimbledon 2023. While Norrie is getting back to the form he displayed around 12-18 months ago, with an impressive showing at the Australian Open 2024, in which he narrowly missed out on a quarterfinals spot, losing a 5-setter to Alexander Zverev in the Round of 16. Fans are sure to flock in to watch their favorite stars compete on the clay courts in Rio.
