Rafael Matos and Barrientos fall in the debut of the Napoli Challenger

(Photo: Fotojump)

After three weeks of absence from the circuit, Rafael Matos and Colombian Nicolás Barrientos played in the Challenger in Naples, Italy, this Thursday (28). The return, however, was not as expected. Seeded number one, they lost to the Czechs Petr Nouza/Patrik Rikl 2-0 (6/3 and 6/4) and said goodbye to the tournament early.

Matos and Barrientos were unable to impose the duo’s favoritism and suffered against the Czechs. Nouza and Rikl managed a break in the first game of the opponent’s service and remained ahead until they got a new break in the ninth game, winning the partial by 6/3. In the second set, the score remained equal until the tenth game, when the Czechs jumped ahead and closed at 6/4.

Rafael Matos and Nicolás Barrientos won just 69% of the points on the first serve against 90% of their opponents. The Brazilian and the Colombian only had two break opportunities (at 40-40), one in each set, but they wasted it. They saved six break points, but the Czechs were effective three more times. The game lasted 1h16min.

This was Matos and Barrientos’ first match after 27 days. The last time they had played was at the ATP 250 in Santiago, when they fell in the semi-final to the Chileans Tabilo/Barrios Vera. Before that, they were Rio Open championsan ATP 500 level tournament. On that occasion, in fact, Rafael Matos became the first Brazilian champion of the event.

Currently, Rafael Matos appears in 43rd place in the world doubles ranking. However, he is momentarily losing two positions with his elimination in the first round of the Naples Challenger. The best ranking of the 28-year-old Gaucho’s career was 26th, in February 2023. Meanwhile, Barrientos appears in 50th place.

22 years old from São Paulo. Journalist graduated from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). I’ve been at Olimpíada Todo Dia since 2022. I covered the World University Games in Chengdu and the Pan-American Games in Santiago-2023.