Rio Open Prize Money Explained: How much can Fonseca, Cerundolo and Berrettini earn

The most relevant tournament of the Golden Swing is the traditional ATP 500 Rio Open, which will be the second stop of the tournaments played on clay courts during the South American summer. A draw packed with surface specialists will be contested between February 16 and 22 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro.

Held since 2014, the prestigious Brazilian tournament has featured champions of the highest level, including several former Grand Slam champions. The most notable remains 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal, who lifted the title in the inaugural edition, before players such as Dominic Thiem, David Ferrer and Carlos Alcaraz later added their names to the winners’ list.

The tournament will be led by local star Joao Fonseca, who will look to become the first Brazilian player to reach the final — and will aim to go one step further by claiming the title as one of the favourites. His chances are boosted by his strong adaptation to slow courts and the backing of the passionate Brazilian crowd.

However, there are other candidates determined to deny Fonseca that dream. Argentina’s Sebastian Baez is a two-time defending champion and the undisputed king of the South American swing in recent seasons, with four titles and two finals during this part of the calendar over the past four years. He is also the only player to have won the Rio Open more than once so far.

His compatriot Francisco Cerundolo will be the top seed and another name firmly in the title conversation. He is the only top-20 player in the draw and owns two clay-court titles, in addition to three more finals on the surface. Other Argentine specialists such as Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Tomas Martin Etcheverry will also be among the forces to consider in the draw.

One of the surprise names in the field is Italian former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini, who chose for the first time this year to travel to the South American tournaments in search of regaining confidence after a long spell away from the courts due to injuries. The world No. 58 is one of the high-profile names, and if he finds a good rhythm, he will be one of the rivals to avoid for any of the favourites.

The tournament suffered some last-minute withdrawals, including world No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti and Frenchman Gael Monfils. The latter had hoped, in what is expected to be his retirement year, to make a stop in South America, but ultimately pulled out due to illness. Both players were planning a double appearance in Buenos Aires and Rio, but will now stay off the courts for a couple of weeks.

The Rio Open will feature a total prize money pool of $2,469,450. Of that amount, $448,090 will go to the tournament champion, along with 500 ATP ranking points. The finalist will earn $241,100 and 330 ranking points.

Players reaching the semifinals will be awarded $128,490, in addition to an important 200 ranking points, while quarterfinalists will receive just over half that amount in prize money, with $65,645 and 100 ranking points. Those advancing to the second round will leave with $35,040 and 50 points, while players who reach the main draw but are eliminated in the first round will earn $18,690 in prize money, although they will depart without any ranking points from the tournament.