Marrakech (Morocco) – Number 3 seeds, Rafael Matos from Rio Grande do Sul and Colombian Nicolas Barrientos started their campaign well at the ATP 250 in Marrakech. The current Rio Open champions needed just 1h05 to achieve a double 6/3 against Frenchman Hugo Gaston and Russian Pavel Kotov, and thus guarantee a place in the quarterfinals of the competition.
In addition to the title in Rio de Janeiro, Matos and Barrientos have been collecting other good results this season, having reached the semifinals in Buenos Aires and Santiago and the quarterfinals in Córdoba. Such campaigns place them today in 11th position in the race for the ATP Finals, just 100 points behind the classification zone. Victory in the first round in Marrakech yields another 45 points and a new victory would double that value, bringing them even closer to a possible place in Turin.
In the next phase, the Brazilian and the Colombian will face the winners of the duel between the partnership of Dutchman Bart Stevens with Greek Petros Tsitsipas and the duet formed by Indian Yuki Bhambri and Frenchman Albano Olivetti.
Champion in 2022 alongside David Vega Hernández, in what was the first of four victories alongside the Spaniard and the third of his career, Rafael Matos makes his second appearance on Moroccan clay. Currently, the tennis player from Rio Grande do Sul has seven ATP trophies under his belt.
+ Click here and follow the TenisBrasil Channel on WhatsApp
Defeated precisely by Matos and Barrientos in the Rio Open decision, the Austrians Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler also debuted with victory in Marrakech. Second favorites in the competition, they beat compatriots Sebastian Ofner and Philipp Oswald by 6/3 and 7/6 (7-4) and are waiting for whoever passes the clash between Bolivians Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos and the team of Indian Sumit Nagal with Australian Aleksandar Vukic.
Completing the round of the day, the Finnish Harri Heliovaara and the British Henry Patten, who form the fourth pre-registered partnership of the tournament, beat the Moroccan Elliot Benchetrit and the Tunisian Aziz Dougaz, guests of the organization, by 6/4 and 7/6 (7-4). They are waiting for whoever wins the match between the French Jonathan Eysseric and Fabrice Martin against the Italian Marco Bortolotti and the Spanish Sergio Martos Gornes.
Current doubles champion in Morocco, Marcelo Demoliner, also from Rio Grande do Sul, competes this week in the ATP 250 in Estoril. Playing alongside Dutchman Sem Verbeek, he debuts against Rio’s João Fonseca and Portuguese João Sousa, who will make his farewell to tennis in the home tournament.
Tags: Matos Barrientos debut victory Marrakech
