MATCH POINT: Back to back! Sebastian Baez wins second straight Rio Open title

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It was a double milestone kind of day for Sebastian Baez on Saturday, as he defeated countryman Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the semifinals of the ATP 250 clay-court event in Santiago, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

First of all, he’s now through to the 10th ATP final of his career. He has a 7-2 record in his first nine finals, winning one title in 2022 (Estoril), three in 2023 (Cordoba, Kitzbuhel and Winston-Salem), two in 2024 (Rio de Janeiro and Santiago) and one so far in 2025 (Rio de Janeiro).

Secondly, his victory over his fellow Argentine was the 100th win of his career. He’s now 100-90 overall, but broken up that’s 77-37 on clay (.675), 20-46 on hard (.303) and 3-7 on grass (.300).

He’s the eighth man born in the 2000s to reach 100 career wins, and the first man born in the 2000s from South America to do it.

MEN BORN IN 2000s WITH 100+ CAREER WINS (tour-level):

  • 270: Jannik Sinner [born in 2001]
  • 231: Felix Auger-Aliassime [born in 2000]
  • 220: Carlos Alcaraz [born in 2003]
  • 145: Holger Rune [born in 2003]
  • 136: Lorenzo Musetti [born in 2002]
  • 128: Sebastian Korda [born in 2000]
  • 101: Brandon Nakashima [born in 2001]
  • 100: Sebastian Baez [born in 2000]
Four of Baez's seven previous career titles have come during the Golden Swing. He'll try to make that five of eight in Santiago on Sunday.

Four of Baez's seven previous career titles have come during the Golden Swing. He'll try to make that five of eight in Santiago on Sunday.

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And there’s more.

Baez has now won 18 of his last 19 matches during the “Golden Swing” string of clay-court tournaments held every year in February and early March, between the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

That stretch dates back to midway through last year’s Golden Swing—he went 9-0 en route to titles in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago last year, and he’s 9-1 so far in this year’s swing, going 1-1 in Buenos Aires (falling to Thiago Seyboth Wild in the second round) then 5-0 to win Rio de Janeiro again, and now 3-0 en route to another Santiago final.

Awaiting Baez in that final will be Serbia's Laslo Djere, who took out top seed Francisco Cerundolo in the other semifinal, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

Baez has beaten Djere in straight sets in both of their previous meetings, both times in 2023 and both times in quarterfinals, first in Santiago, 7-6 (4), 6-4, then in Winston-Salem on hard, 6-3, 6-0.