The 3 Chileans to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final as Nicolas Jarry ends 17-year drought
Nicolas Jarry has joined a very exclusive three-person club of Chilean players to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final and he will look to become only the second player from his country to win a title at this level.
Chile players enjoyed a dream run at the 2024 Italian Open as Jarry and Alejandro Tabilo both reached the semi-final of a Masters event for the first time in their careers.
World No 32 Tabilo went down in three sets against Alexander Zverev, but Jarry flew the flag as he defeated Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 to reach his maiden ATP 1000 final.
He is only the third player from the South American country to achieve the feat with Marcelo Rios and Fernando Gonzalez the other two to notch up the achievements.
Jarry is also the first Chilean to reach the final of a Masters event since 2007 when Gonzalez finished runner-up to one Rafael Nadal at Foro Italico in Rome.
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So let’s look at former world No 1 Rios as well as Gonzalez’s ATP Masters 1000 finals feats in more detail.
Marcelo Rios – 7 finals
Rios has the unique distinction of being a world No 1 without winning a Grand Slam with his best performance coming at the 1998 Australian Open when he finished runner-up to Petr Korda.
But he does have five ATP Masters 1000 trophies to his name and he is the only Chilean to have won titles at this level.
The first came at the 1997 Monte Carlo Masters when he defeated Alex Corretja 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.
The 1998 season was his most impressive as he reached three finals and won three titles. He won the Sunshine double, beating Greg Rusedski in the final of the Indian Wells Masters and Andre Agassi at the Miami Open, and also lifted the Italian Open crown.
His final Masters final title came at the 1999 German Cup when he beat Mariano Zabaleta.
Rios’ two runners-up trophies came at the 1997 Italian Open when Corretja turned the tables and the 1999 Monte Carlo Masters as he lost against Gustavo Kuerten.
Fernando Gonzalez – 2 finals
Former world No 5 Gonzalez won 11 ATP Tour singles titles and he finished runner-up to Roger Federer at the 2007 Australian Open.
Federer was also his nemesis the previous year at the Madrid Open as the Swiss defeated him 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 in the final of the then hard-court event in the Spanish capital.
A year later he appeared in his second and last final and this time he came up against an inpsired Nadal as the Spaniard won 6-2, 6-2.
Nicolas Jarry – 1 final
Before the 2024 Italian Open, Jarry’s best run at ATP Masters 1000 events came at this year’s Miami Open and the 2023 Shanghai Masters as he reached the quarter-final.
Jarry had beaten the likes of Paul and Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the final.
“I think it’s pretty unreal for Chile. We are a very little country that has had very good success in tennis. It’s mainly I think, yeah, a bit of luck,” he said.
“I think generation through generation, since we’ve been having good players, tennis is interesting for Chile – outside of football. Football is still the biggest.
“Yeah, to have two players in the Masters 1000 semis a big deal for us. Hopefully everybody can enjoy this moment. I think more moments will come.”
Jarry faces world No 3 and five-time ATP Masters 1000 winner Zverev in the final.
