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Players will aim to reach the second round on Day 2 of the 2024 Rio Open.
Cameron Norrie commenced his title defence with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hugo Dellien. Thiago Seyboth Wild snapped his nine-match losing streak courtesy of his 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback win over Alejandro Tabilo.
Eighth seed Sebastian Ofner's poor run of form continued as he slumped to a 6-3, 6-1 loss against Jaume Munar. Laslo Djere and Francisco Cerundolo were among the other victors of the day.
The remaining first-round matches will now be contested on Tuesday. Here's a look at the predictions for some of the main matches lined up on Day 2 of the Rio Open:
#1 - Carlos Alcaraz vs Thiago Monteiro
After a quarterfinal exit from the Australian Open, Alcaraz arrived in Buenos Aires for his title defense at last week's Argentina Open. He defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Andrea Vavassori in straight sets to make the semifinals.
Alcaraz then faced Nicolas Jarry for a spot in the final but lost to him 7-6 (2), 6-3. Monteiro started the year with a quarterfinal finish at a Challenger event in Uruguay. He then represented Brazil in the Davis Cup and won both of his singles ties.
Monteiro's next tournament was the Argentina Open where he failed to make it past the qualifying rounds. He received a wildcard to compete at the Rio Open. The Brazilian's form has taken a nosedive and he has won just 11 main draw matches at the ATP level since January 2023.
Alcaraz made it to the final of the Rio Open last year and won the tournament the year before that. Despite the 20-year-old not being at his dominating best at present, he should be able to move past Monteiro with ease.
Predicted winner: Carlos Alcaraz
#2 - Nicolas Jarry vs Yannick Hanfmann
As mentioned earlier, Jarry stunned Alcaraz en route to the final of the Argentina Open. He was favored to win the title as well but lost to Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-4.
Hanfmann staged a comeback to defeat Juan Pablo Varillas 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-1 in the first round of the Cordoba Open. He also snapped his three-match losing streak with the win. He staged another comeback to best Roman Andres Burruchaga 3-6, 6,1 6-4 in the second round.
Hanfmann was then shown the door by Luciano Darderi in the quarterfinals. He was unable to maintain his form as he lost to Alejandro Tabilo 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Argentina Open.
Jarry will be feeling more confident following his run at the Argentina Open. He played at a high level to get the better of Alcaraz. If he's able to replicate that form once again, he's got a great shot to down Hanfmann.
Predicted winner: Nicolas Jarry
#3 - Stan Wawrinka vs Facundo Diaz Acosta
Wawrinka lost to Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Australian Open despite being up two sets to one. He registered his first win of the season at the Argentina Open.
The Swiss overcame a one-set deficit to beat Pedro Cachin 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-2 in his opener. He was then knocked out by Jarry in the second round, who defeated him 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Diaz Acosta has been on a roll during this clay swing. He started with a quarterfinal finish at the Cordoba Open and then captured his maiden ATP title at the Argentina Open.
Diaz Acosta has accumulated a 7-1 record over the past fortnight. He has momentum on his side and if he keeps it up, Wawrinka could find it tough to make it through this clash.
Predicted winner: Facundo Diaz Acosta
#4 - Sebastian Baez vs Corentin Moutet
Baez reached the semifinals of the Cordoba Open where he was knocked out by Darderi. He avenged his loss to the Italian the following week at the Argentina Open as he sent him home in the second round.
Baez was soundly beaten by Federico Coria in the quarterfinals after that as he lost to him 6-1, 6-4. As for Moutet, the last couple of weeks were quite tough for him. The Frenchman failed to make it past the qualifying rounds of the Cordoba Open and the Argentina Open.
Moutet reversed the trend as he booked his place in the main draw of the Rio Open with wins over Carabelli and Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida in the qualifying rounds. He's now aiming to secure his first main draw win of the year.
Despite his recent victories, it's quite unlikely that Moutet will overcome Baez. The latter has a superior record on clay and has more wins to his name this season. Expect the Argentine to begin his Rio Open campaign with a win.
Predicted winner: Sebastian Baez
