The Golden Swing in South America is one of the most lively parts of the ATP season.
There are three tournaments in this period, headlined by the Rio Open, as well as the Argentina Open and the Santiago Open.
Sebastian Baez won the Rio Open for a second consecutive year, but perhaps the biggest story came at the ATP 250 tournament in Buenos Aires.
This was when Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca won the Argentina Open to claim his first ATP title, but there are now concerns over the future of the South American swing.
Mariano Navone criticises the ATP Tour’s handling of the South American swing
One player who has found success during the South American clay court swing is Mariano Navone, with the Argentinian reaching the Rio Open final in 2024.
Being from Argentina, Navone experiences his best support throughout the South American clay court swing, particularly in Buenos Aires.
However, Navone appears to feel as though he could be at risk of losing this support, something he stated at an exhibition event in Argentina.
As reported by We Love Tennis, Navone believes that the ATP Tour are not utilising South America as much as they should be doing.
“All of this is strange, it is difficult,” said Navone. “The ATP’s ideas are sometimes a bit controversial. I feel like they are boycotting it.
“This is the circuit that sells the most tickets. It saddens me because we are a country with an incredible tennis tradition. These are obstacles in our path. They are tournaments that sell very well. I don’t understand this perspective.”
The 1% Club – Tennis Edition
Which big names have already been confirmed to play in South America in 2026?
The South American clay court swing has previously hosted the likes of Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Dominic Thiem, but these names appear to be less frequent anymore.
Alcaraz decided not to play in South America for the first time this year, instead opting to compete in Rotterdam and in the Middle East.
Where do you think Joao Fonseca will be ranked at the end of the 2026 season?
However, there are still some notable players already announced for the South American clay court swing in 2026.
This includes the aforementioned Fonseca, who will be returning to Buenos Aires to defend his maiden ATP title victory.
Some of the other big names include world number eight Lorenzo Musetti, Francisco Cerundolo, former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and Gael Monfils, who will be retiring next year.
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