IT WAS a loss not even his retiring opponent expected him to have, but the defeat at the hands of outgoing Argentinian Diego Schwartzman was certainly a surprise for Chilean Top 40 talent Nicolas Jarry. Bouncing back from that defeat, Jarry took on Argentinian qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the Rio Open and was able to fight through another challenge to win in two and a half hours, 4-6 6-3 6-4.

The sixth seeded Chilean found himself down a set against the qualifier before finding his range and coming back to win on the Brazilian clay and securing his place in the Round of 16. It was the first main draw meeting against Cerundolo, and the 198cm Jarry produced 12 aces among 50 winners to get home.

Jarry also committed nearly double the amount of unforced errors (61-32), but was able to win 73 and 58 per cent of his first and second serve points, while converting three breaks of serve to Cerundolo’s two throughout the match. Impressively he balanced his winners not just off the serve, but at the net (12) and also both forehand (16) and backhand (12), while Cerundolo really struggled off his backhand wing.

The Argentinian hit just one winner for 10 unforced errors off that side, while also committing 11 forced errors too. In the end, the higher ranked Chilean was just a little too strong and advanced through to the second round. He will hope to make it a third semi-finals appearance in the Brazilian capital after reaching the final four in both 2018 and 2023.

Next up for Jarry is another Argentinian in Francisco Comesana who took care of local wildcard Gustavo Heide in a three-set epic, 7-6 6-7 6-3. He was the only Argentinian to win on the day, with the other one being Facundo Diaz Acosta. Diaz Acosta suffered a loss to Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 3-6 6-3 7-6, while unfortunately for the home fans, Thiago Seyboth Wild also bowed out.

THe player that beat him in Spaniard Jaume Munar advanced with a dominant deciding set win of 6-4 3-6 6-0, while Alexander Shevchenko took care of a fourth Brazilian in wildcard Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves. The biggest upset was easily qualifier Chun-Hsin Tseng‘s win over third seed Alejandro Tabilo, with the Taiwanese player too good for the Chilean, 6-2 7-5.

2025 RIO OPEN ATP500 – ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[Q] Chun Hsin Tseng (TAI) defeated [3] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) 6-2 7-5
[6] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) defeated [Q] Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) 4-6 6-3 6-4
Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) defeated [WC] Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA) 6-4 6-2
Francisco Comesana (ARG) defeated [WC] Gustavo Heide (BRA) 7-6 6-7 6-3
[WC] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) defeated Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) 3-6 6-3 7-6
Jaume Munar (ESP) defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) 6-4 3-6 6-0