RIO DE JANEIRO/WASHINGTON, February 21, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
With No. 8 seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry the highest-ranked player and only seed remaining in the Rio Open presented by Claro field, it presents an opportunity for both the Argentine as well as the remaining quarterfinalists to make a deep run in this ATP 500-series event on red clay. Indeed, the Rio Open has become an open invitation for whomever wants to step up and win the 500 points that goes to the champion along with the grand prize money of $461,835.
On Friday, the 51st-ranked Etcheverry took on 22-year-old lucky loser Jaime Faria, ranked 147th, who aimed to become the first Portuguese player to advance to the semifinals of an ATP 500 level tournament since the series was introduced in 2009. Meanwhile, Etcheverry was seeking his 100th tour-level victory – and he achieved it with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Faria in two hours and three minutes on Quadra Guga Kuerten.
Extraordinary Etcheverry
[8] @tometcheverry moves into the @RioOpenOficial semi-finals#RioOpen | @AATenis pic.twitter.com/VhS9xnF8fN
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 20, 2026
Etcheverry hit 26 winners and outpointed Faria 73-67. He saved five of five break points during a grueling 71-minute first set, then benefited from Faria’s physical struggles in the second set to reach his ninth career ATP Tour semifinal.
“Like yesterday, I won 7-6 and today it was the same,” Etcheverry said, commenting on the lengthy first set, which set the tone for the rest of the match. “Tough tie-break, you know. … In the second set, I think played better than the first set. I got a break at 4-all and that’s why I got the victory.”
In Saturday’s semifinal round, Etcheverry will face No. 87 Vit Kopriva of Czechia.
Of Kopriva’s 21 tour-level wins, 16 of them have come on clay. Now, with his 6-4, 6-4 upset victory over No. 78 Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina, he’s through to his second ATP Tour semifinal after reaching his first a qualifier back in 2021 at Gstaad. Kopriva, who began the week ranked 87th, has risen to No. 65 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, which is a new career-high ranking.
Kopriva dropped just five points on his first serve, faced no break points and converted two of eight break-point chances against Cerundolo. He outpointed his opponent 69-58
Kopriva semifinalista!
Ele fecha em 6/4 6/4 contra J. M. Cerundolo e enfrenta na semi o vencedor de (8) Etcheverry x Faria #RioOpen pic.twitter.com/TxIs38RLsh
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 20, 2026
Around the Jockey Club Brasileiro
• Former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini of Italy, now ranked 57th, chased after his first semifinal above ATP 250 level since 2022 at Queen’s Club and his first on clay at ATP 500 level when he took on 21-year-old Peruvian Ignacio Buse, who on Thursday knocked out home favorite Joao Fonseca of Brazil in the second round and was looking to reach only his second ATP Tour semifinal after Gstaad last year.
As it happened, the 91st-ranked Buse was up for the challenge – endured several rain delays – and knocked off Berrettini, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, in two hours and 19 minutes on Quadra Guga Kuerten. After Buse became the first Peruvian to reach an ATP 500 quarterfinal since the series was introduced in 2009, he’s now the second Peruvian to reach multiple ATP Tour semifinals this century since Luis Horna in 2011. His PIF ATP Live Ranking has risen to No. 65.
Ignacio Buse derruba também Matteo Berrettini com 6/3 2/6 6/3 no placar e está na SEMIFINAL
Ele enfrenta o vencedor de Tabilo x Tirante!#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/UGzoaGHQ61
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 21, 2026
On Saturday, Buse will face No. 68 Alejandro Tabilo of Chile, who fought past No. 92 Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-1 in two hours and 52 minutes.
• In an effort to better accommodate Rio Open fans, the semifinal doubles match between Brazilians Joao Fonseca and Marcelo Melo and Germany’s Jakub Schnaitter and Mark Wallner that was original scheduled for Friday on Quadra 1 has been moved to Saturday on the larger Quadra Guga Kuerten beginning at 2:30 p.m. local time.
João Fonseca e Marcelo Melo receberam uma visitinha humilde no treino de hoje…
ANDRE AGASSI está no #RioOpen e vai entregar o troféu para o campeão no domingo! pic.twitter.com/NZnetOmp3h
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 21, 2026
• In other quarterfinal doubles action, No. 3 seeds Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Manuel Guinard of France defeated Brazilian wild cards Felipe Meligeni Alves and Marcelo Zormann, 6-3, 7-6 (4), while No. 1 seeds Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul of France were upset by Constantin Franzen of Germany and Robin Haase of the Netherlands, 6-2, 7-6 (5). The quarterfinal winners will meet in the semifinal round Saturday afternoon.
Os cabeças 3 Andreozzi/Guinard eliminam a dupla Meligeni Alves/Zormann por 6/3 7/6 (4) e vão à SEMI
Eles pegam Frantzen/Haase por uma vaga na final!#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/WtTpkFMDAh
— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 21, 2026
Saturday’s Rio Open order of play
By the numbers
Tomas Martin Etcheverry has become the third active Argentine to achieve the 100 tour-level victories plateau after Francisco Cerundolo (148) and Sebastian Baez (118).
“Quotable …”
“It is such a special achievement for me. Today, it was really tough because we started four times because of the rain. The conditions are sometimes fast, sometimes slow. You never know. It was a really difficult match but I’m really happy I achieve a good win. Now, I have to rest for the semifinals … and enjoy.”
– Ignacio Buse of Peru, during his on-court interview following his rain-delayed three-set victory over Matteo Berrettini to advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.
