Argentine tennis star Sebastián Báez made history on Sunday when he became the first player ever to successfully defend the Rio Open crown. The 24-year-old, 31st in the ATP singles ranking, beat France’s Alexandre Müller (41) by 6-2, 6-3 to win his first tournament of the year.

“I wasn’t sure I should come to Rio,” said Báez after the win, “because of how I was feeling and the results I was getting.”

Nursing some discomfort in his right knee, he won his first ATP Tour-level game in six months at the 2025 Argentina Open after 10 losses since the 2024 US Open.

“Last week, I went over it with [coach Sebastián Gutierrez], and he told me I had to roll up my sleeves and keep fighting no matter the result. That I had to face this situation with courage.”

The win at the Rio Open could prove crucial for Báez in the upcoming months. As 2024 winner, he would have lost 500 points in the ATP singles ranking if he failed to defend the title, and could have dropped out of the top 60 for the first time since 2021.

The outlook will be similar in the upcoming Chile Open, where Báez will also arrive as defending champion. But he insisted that the result at Rio gives him confidence, and he’s eager to play.

“Santiago is a place where I feel very comfortable and I’m very motivated,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m going to do well or not. I’m not going with any expectations. I want to enjoy myself and for the result to be what it has to be.”

You may also be interested in: Sebastián Báez: ‘Not all games are played on the court’

A win for the record books

The Rio Open, the only ATP 500-level tournament in South America, has had some illustrious winners. Spanish legend Rafael Nadal, current world number three Carlos Alcaraz and 2020 US Open winner Dominic Thiem all lifted the trophy at the Jockey Club Brasileiro. None managed Báez’s feat of winning the title twice.

The 24-year-old’s achievement also set landmarks in Argentine tennis history. Báez now ranks eighth among Argentina’s most successful tennis stars, matching Guillermo Cañas’ seven titles. He’s just one away from Gastón Gaudio’s eight and two off Guillermo Coria, Juan Mónaco and Guillermo Pérez Roldán, all nine-time title winners. Argentine great Guillermo Vilas leads the ranking with 62 titles.

Báez also became the third Argentine to win two or more ATP 500-level titles, matching Leonardo Mayer and just behind Juan Martín del Potro, who won seven between 2008 and 2018.

The Olympic Youth Games gold medal winner also holds the best win record on clay since 2022. His 73 wins and 36 defeats tally bests the achievements of top 10 players like Alcaraz, Norway’s Casper Ruud, and Germany’s Alexander Zverev.