Rio Open: Defending champion Cameron Norrie suffers shock defeat by Mariano Navone in Rio de Janeiro

Updated 25/02/2024 at 10:30 GMT

Cameron Norrie suffered a surprise straight-sets defeat in the semi-finals of the Rio Open, falling 6-4 6-2 to Mariano Navone, the Argentinian qualifier. Navone made the most of the Briton struggling with the hot and humid conditions in Brazil. Norrie, the tournament's defending champion, was aiming to retain his title after beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final the previous year.

Highlights: Norrie’s Rio Open defence ends with semi-final loss to Navone

Cameron Norrie suffered a shock defeat in the semi-finals of the Rio Open, falling 6-4 6-2 to Mariano Navone, the Argentine qualifier.

Norrie, the defending champion in Brazil, struggled in the sweltering South American heat as Navone, the world No. 113, took full advantage.

, the current world No. 2, in the final of the clay-court event last year, and was contesting his second tournament since being knocked out in the last 16 of the Australian Open by Alexander Zverev.

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Highlights: Norrie’s Rio Open defence ends with semi-final loss to Navone

00:01:26

25/02/2024 at 08:04

Alcaraz was forced to retire in his opening match of this year’s Rio Open against Thiago Monteiro with an ankle injury.

The Briton, now world No. 20, served poorly, and was broken decisively in the seventh game of the first set, after the pair had traded service breaks in the opening two games.

Both players broke once more at the start of the second, but it was Navone who would find the crucial follow-ups, in the third and fifth games of the second, to assert his authority on the match and see out the victory that sent him into a maiden ATP final.

"It's incredible," Navone said. "I played so [well] all week. Today was very hot and humid. It's tough to play in these conditions, but I've played six matches in a row so I feel pretty good."

Highlights as Norrie beats Wild to book spot in semi-finals of Rio Open

Norrie, the second seed, was the only non-Argentine in the last four of the tournament, with Sebastian Baez and Francisco Cerundolo completing the semi-finalists, and Navone will face Baez in the final after the world No. 30 beat his compatriot Cerundolo, the world No. 22, 7-5 6-0.

"All matches are different," Baez said. "Today it's going to my side. In the first set, I gave many break points to him. I had to take it because it's so hard for both."

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