Rain Freezes Kopriva’s Lead in Rio Semis
A downpour halts Vit Kopriva’s 5-4 edge over Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Rio’s red clay, stranding the Czech qualifier’s surge in the humid night. As the Rio Open presented by Claro reshuffles its schedule, the semis pulse with renewed tension for underdogs chasing breakthroughs.
Under the thickening clouds of Rio de Janeiro, Vit Kopriva was dictating terms on the slick red clay of Quadra Guga Kuerten. The Czech qualifier held a 5-4 lead in the first set against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, his aggressive inside-out forehands pinning the Argentine deep and forcing defensive crosscourt replies that barely stayed in. Then the rain arrived, sharp and unrelenting, suspending the Rio Open presented by Claro semifinal and scattering the crowd into the evening haze.
Kopriva‘s rhythm hangs suspended
Kopriva’s game builds on quick points, a one–two pattern where deep second serves set up down-the-line backhand winners that exploit Etcheverry’s tendency to slice wide under pressure. At 5-4, he was on the cusp of his first ATP semifinal breakthrough, the weight of a grueling qualifier run fueling his topspin-heavy assaults. The delay erases that momentum, leaving the 25-year-old to pace in the locker room, where clay’s slow grip can turn a lead into a mental test as much as a tactical one.
Etcheverry, the seeded local favorite, absorbs pace with his baseline resilience, countering Kopriva’s flatter shots by redirecting them crosscourt to keep rallies alive. This interruption gives him time to reset, drawing on home-crowd energy that roars even through the downpour. For both, the pause amplifies the stakes of a 2026 season where clay upsets have reshaped the tour’s undercard.
SCHEDULE UPDATE
Quadra Guga Kuerten
Etcheverry x Kopriva play to resume not before 7:15pm local time
Quadra 1
Tabilo x Buse not before 7:15pm local time#RioOpen— Rio Open (@RioOpenOficial) February 21, 2026
Schedule shift fuels dual-court drama
The tournament announced the resumption not before 7:15 p.m. local time, keeping the first semi on Quadra Guga Kuerten while moving the second between Alejandro Tabilo and Ignacio Buse to Quadra 1. Tabilo, the Chilean lefty with a kicking serve that bites on clay, faces Buse’s flat groundstrokes in a matchup that could swing on early breaks amid the post-rain slipperiness. This split-court setup tests adaptability, as players shake off the delay under stadium lights, the air still heavy with moisture on February 21, 2026.
Buse, the young Spaniard scraping for his deepest ATP run, disrupts with loopy topspin that pulls opponents off the baseline, forcing net approaches Tabilo has navigated at middling efficiency this week. The #RioOpen buzz on X captures the evening’s pivot, where every hold carries points toward rankings and confidence for the clay swing ahead. As showers linger, the semis become a test of footwork on uneven footing, blending endurance with opportunistic strikes.
Pressure builds for clay breakthroughs
When play restarts, expect Etcheverry to target Kopriva’s second serve with low-bouncing underspin, aiming to disrupt the Czech’s rhythm and force errors in extended exchanges. Kopriva will counter by varying depths, mixing inside-in forehands with drop shots to keep the Argentine off-balance and seal that elusive set. The fervent Rio crowd, undeterred by the wet seats, will amplify the intensity, turning the resumption into a cauldron where mental edges decide who advances.
Beyond this pair, Tabilo’s tactical mix—heavy groundstrokes laced with slice—could dominate on the alternate court, while Buse chases precision to avoid netting his aggressive returns. A final spot here catapults rankings by hundreds of spots, fueling runs at upcoming Masters events. In this rain-soaked night, the semis underscore clay’s unforgiving nature, where delays don’t just pause play but sharpen the fight for every inch of red dirt.
