Great atmosphere in the super final of the ATP Rio 2025. Sebastián Báez and Alexandre Muller were putting everything on the line after a week of intense tennis. The Argentine had defeated three compatriots such as Román Andrés Burruchaga, Mariano Navone, and Camilo Ugo Carabelli, in addition to Chun-Hsin Tseng to reach the final. On the other side, the Frenchman had overcome another three Argentines like Tomás Martín Etcheverry, Francisco Cerúndolo, and Francisco Comesaña. Besides, in the first round, he faced the local idol and promising world talent Joao Fonseca, whom he defeated in two sets (6-1 7-6).

The largest tournament in South America closes its doors this Sunday. An edition of the ATP Rio that has been marked by the absence of big names and the defeat of Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals against none other than Comesaña, but it comes to an end with one man repeating final and title, Sebastián Báez. The 24-year-old Argentine managed to defeat Muller 6-2 6-3 for his seventh ATP title in 1 hour and 25 minutes. An Argentine who bases a large part of his game on the mental aspect.

– His Biggest Support

Sebastián Gutiérrez was the one who led him to make a change in mentality. His current coach started with him 10 years ago and helped him make a radical change in his life: “At 14, I was reckless and didn’t do things right”, Báez declared in an interview for Página 12 in 2023, “Gutiérrez saved me. Nobody had taught me how to do things”, he claimed. After much mental work and meditation, he reached his maximum potential, achieving the number 1 position in juniors and now, a new ATP trophy. Will we see him soon winning trophies on other surfaces?

– Gliding Across the Court

In the first set of the ATP Rio, Báez was very patient and strategic with all his shots. He sought to penetrate the mind of Muller, who tried to go head-to-head but ended up making the unforced errors that the Argentine was searching for. One of the keys also lay in how he played the heights. Muller showed his versatility as a player capable of causing damage on all surfaces, but against an experienced clay court player with a clear preference for this tournament, he had little chance. The first set ended 6-2 after four games that went to deuce and were sealed by Báez. The script of the second set was even clearer, as Muller tried to find solutions and started very aggressively, but Seba’s solidity was remarkable and he once again prevailed to win 6-3. At the end, as he signed the camera, he dedicated it to Schwartzman: “For you, Dieguito”.

Thus, Sebastián Báez picks up the torch from ‘El Peque’ Schwartzman (who retired just two weeks ago), as with only 170 centimeters tall, he is one of the few exceptions in a sport increasingly dominated by physical power and serves at 220 km/h.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Para vos, Dieguito”