RIO De Janeiro welcomes the top clay courters to its ATP500 event with more than $2.4 million AUD on offer across the tournament, including $529,300 for the winner. Leading the title contenders is two-time Roland Garros and Australian Open finalist, Dominic Thiem. With the exception of world number two, Rafael Nadal and an injured Matteo Berrettini, the majority of the world’s best clay courters are clashing in what is set to be a huge event in South America. Adding to the intrigue of the event is the fact that seven of the eight seeds in the 2019 event were bundled out in the first round in a stunning couple of days.

FAVOURITE:

Dominic Thiem (AUT)

Without a shadow of a doubt, Thiem is deserving favourite at this ATP500 event. As the second best clay courter in the world and best player outside the ‘Big Three’, Thiem is well prepared to make a strong run at the tournament he won three years ago. Last year was a disaster for Thiem, who like all the other seeds in the tournament, fell in the first round in a shock loss. He went down to eventual winner, Laslo Djere and never really got going. The Austrian has had an extended break off the court since coming runner-up in the Australian Open final, pulling out of the World Tennis Tournament due to soreness. With the extra week’s rest, Thiem confirmed he would take to the courts in Rio in hope of producing a much stronger performance here than last year. Put simply, if Thiem produces his best tennis, there is no-one in this draw that can stop him.

CONTENDERS:

Diego Schwartzman (ARG)

The biggest challenger to Thiem’s title hopes comes in the form of diminutive Schwartzman. The Argentinian has looked settled at home in the last two tournaments, and is always a contender on clay. He may not have the serving ability of some of his rivals, but he moves as well as anyone and is one of the world’s best counter punchers. Like the other seeds he also bowed out, but it was due to injury when he retired at 4-6 1-4 down against Pablo Cuevas 12 months ago. With his recent run of form and the second seed billing, there is no reason why Schwartzman should not give this title a real shake, particularly if Thiem is underdone. At the time of publishing, Schwartzman had made a semi-final at Buenos Aires following on from his final at Cordoba giving him a great form line heading into the next claycourt event.

Cristian Garin (CHI)

His 2020 got going last week when he claimed the Cordoba Open title with victory over Schwartzman in the final. The win was more a confidence booster if anything else, coming from behind to down the Argentinian on his opponents’ home court. He was unseeded her last year, and of the top contenders, at least reached the second round before falling to Canadian wildcard, Felix Auger-Aliassime. Garin is better prepared 12 months on and should have a fifth seeding at the event, so will not need to play one of the top couple until at least the quarter finals.

Pablo Cuevas (URU)

Reached a semi-final here 12 months ago and pushed Auger-Aliassime all the way before going down in three sets. Along the way he beat Juan-Ignacio Londero and Schwartzman, as well as Albert Ramos-Vinolas on his way to the last four. There is no reason he cannot repeat the feat here and while he might not be seeded, is the highest ranked unseeded player and one no seed wants to draw early in the tournament. Cuevas pushed Schwartzman all the way in Buenos Aires, so is a big chance to go one better and knock him off if the pair are drawn against each other. Is coming to the end of his career at 34-years-old, but will be one of those clay court specialists when this season rolls around.

ROUGHIE:

Laslo Djere (SRB)

Back in 2020 to try and defend his title, the 35th ranked Serbian only has the one title so he will be keen to show it was not a fluke. It was a strange tournament 12 months ago, but Djere managed to overcome tournament favourite Thiem, before knocking off a number of noted clay courters and finishing off with a straight sets win over Auger-Aliassime in the final. The odds might be against him to repeat the feat, but anyone who has beaten Thiem on clay in the last couple of years deserves consideration.

DARK HORSE:

Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG)

A known talented clay courter, Londero fell at the hands of Cuevas last year, exiting in the second round. He was only a qualifier at that stage and was coming off a win at Cordoba earlier in the month. Now comfortably inside the automatic qualification ranks, Londero will hope to bring his best tennis to Brazil and take advantage on his preferred surface. He might not be the most consistent player, but you can never discount him on this surface. At the time of publishing, Londero had reached the semi-finals in Buenos Aires and was in red-hot form on clay.