Francisco Cerundolo vs Mariano Navone Preview & Prediction | 2026 Rio Open | First Round
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Top seed Francisco Cerundolo goes up against Mariano Navone in the first-round of the Rio Open.
Ranking points: ATP 500
Start date/time:
Venue: Jockey Club Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Surface: Outdoor clay
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Francisco Cerundolo vs Mariano Navone ticket information
Francisco Cerundolo vs Mariano Navone prediction
Francisco Cerundolo won the Argentina Open at the third time of asking in the final after a straight sets win over Luciano Darderi. Cerundolo had come up short in 2021 and 2025, but he performed brilliantly in Buenos Aires as he did not drop a set on his way to the title. This capped off a fine start to the season for Cerundolo, who also reached the round-of-16 at the Australian Open for the first time. He will now aim for back-to-back titles in Rio, having reached the semi-finals in 2022 and 2024.
He faces compatriot Mariano Navone in the first-round. Navone lost in the round-of-16 stage of the Argentina Open last week after a straight sets defeat to Camilo Ugo Carabelli. He does have form at this event, having reached the final in 2024.
Cerundolo will be back in action straight away after his title win, but he should have enough in the tank to get past Navone, who is still a test on clay and has beaten his opponent in one of their two previous meetings.
Francisco Cerundolo vs Mariano Navone tip: Over 20.5 games
