Rio Open: Baez through to biggest career final

No 5 seed Sebastian Baez moved into the final of the Rio Open by winning against No 4 seed Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-0 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

Baez saved three set points while trailing 5-4 in the first set but then won nine games in a row to complete the 7-5, 6-0 win in one hour and 24 minutes. This was his third win in four career meetings over Cerundolo across all tour levels.

Baez, ranked No 30, is through to the biggest singles final of his career and will next meet fellow Argentine Mariano Navone, the qualifier who upset second seed and defending champion Cameron Norrie in the other semi-final.

The Argentine is assured of climbing to a new career-high of No 23 with the win today and could leave Rio de Janeiro as the world No 21 if he wins the title on Sunday.

In the previous rounds of the tournament, Baez beat French qualifier Corentin Moutet (6-4, 6-3), Facundo Diaz Acosta (7-6 (1), 6-3) and Brazilian wildcard Thiago Monteiro (6-4, 1-6, 6-2).

Cerundolo, ranked No 22, won against qualifier Francisco Comesana (6-1, 1-6, 6-2), Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas (6-2, 6-1) and Serb Dusan Lajovic (3-6, 6-4, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.

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