Briton Cameron Norrie made a perfect start to his Rio Open title defense when he defeated Bolivian Hugo Dellien 6-3, 6-2. The second seed saved the only break point he faced and converted three of his seven opportunities to advance to the second round of the ATP 500 after one hour and 22 minutes on Monday night, ATP reports.
Norrie will next play Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera, who eliminated Brazilian wild card Gustavo Heide 7-5, 6-3. In other action, fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo snapped a three-match losing streak with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 victory against fellow Argentine Francisco Comesana. The two-time ATP Tour titlist will face Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round.
The former No. 17 player in the ATP Rankings, Ramos-Vinolas clawed past Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 after two hours and 44 minutes. It was a hard-fought win that sets up an intriguing second-round clash with Cerundolo.
Norrie’s confidence will be high as he looks to defend his title in Rio, and his next match against Barrios Vera will be one to watch. As for Cerundolo, his victory against Comesana will provide him with the momentum he needs to take on the experienced Ramos-Vinolas in the next round.
The Rio Open promises to deliver thrilling matches as the tournament progresses, and fans can expect to see some intense competition as the players battle it out for the coveted title. Stay tuned for more updates on the action-packed tournament.
