Ignacio Buse defeats Matteo Berrettini at Rio 2026 – Quarter-Final

Ignacio Buse secured a career-defining victory at the Rio 2026 Quarter-Final, defeating world No. 57 Matteo Berrettini 6/3, 2/6, 6/3. The Peruvian responded well after dropping the second set, reasserting his baseline dominance on the clay to close out the match and book his spot in the semi-finals.

This result marks a significant surge in form for the 91st-ranked Buse, who has now claimed back-to-back upsets in Rio. Just days prior, he eliminated the 38th-ranked Joao Fonseca in three sets, demonstrating an ability to compete with top-50 caliber opponents. This consistency contrasts with his Round 2 exit against Sebastian Baez earlier in February, indicating a rapid adjustment to higher-level competition.

For Berrettini, the loss halts a promising week that included victories over Dusan Lajovic and Tomas Barrios Vera. The Italian has struggled to maintain consistency on clay recently, evidenced by an early loss to Vit Kopriva earlier this month. While he showed resilience to level the match against Buse, he could not dismantle the Peruvian's rhythm in the deciding set.

Buse's trajectory on clay has been upward trending for months, highlighted by a run to a final in November 2025 where he fell to Cristian Garin. By defeating a seasoned campaigner like Berrettini, Buse validates his top-100 ranking and continues to build significant momentum on his preferred surface.