A highlight of the Rio Open schedule, the Wheelchair Tennis Elite — presented by ALLOS — returns in 2026 for a new edition in the “Marvelous City”. The tournament will be held from February 19 to 21 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, during the Rio Open — the biggest tennis tournament in South America.
On February 19, the four participating players will compete in the semifinals. The singles final will take place on February 20, while February 21 will be dedicated to a doubles exhibition match.
The Wheelchair Tennis Elite has already featured some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Japanese player Shingo Kunieda, considered the greatest champion in the history of wheelchair tennis; Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, who together have accumulated more than 200 titles; as well as Paralympic medalists Daniel Caverzaschi and Martin de la Puente. The Argentine legend Gustavo Fernández and Brazil’s leading wheelchair tennis player, Daniel Rodrigues, have also taken part.
The event has also featured exhibition matches between wheelchair tennis stars and athletes such as João Fonseca and Juan Martín del Potro, as well as tributes to emerging talents such as Vitória Miranda and Luiz Calixto, Junior Grand Slam champions. The official 2026 lineup will be announced soon.
The initiative goes beyond the courts and reinforces the Rio Open’s commitment to diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. The tournament features fully accessible infrastructure throughout the entire complex, in accordance with regulations and standards that facilitate the circulation and accommodation of people with disabilities.
“The Wheelchair Tennis Elite is a highly symbolic moment in the Rio Open schedule because it translates, in practice, the values we believe in as an event: sporting excellence, diversity, and inclusion. Integrating wheelchair tennis into one of the world’s biggest tournaments means recognizing the exceptionally high level of these athletes and expanding public access to a discipline that inspires through competitiveness, talent, and overcoming challenges. It is a source of pride to reach the third edition while reaffirming this commitment and offering a structure worthy of these great names in the sport”, says Marcia Casz, General Director of the Rio Open.
This is the third consecutive year that ALLOS, the country’s most innovative platform for entertainment, services, lifestyle, and shopping, has sponsored the event, which is also supported by Shopping Leblon, one of the company’s destinations in Rio de Janeiro.
ALLOS believes in sport as a tool for social transformation and the promotion of diversity and inclusion. For this reason, it once again supports the Wheelchair Tennis Elite at the Rio Open, reinforcing the company’s commitment to strengthening Paralympic sport and to promoting Brazilian tennis in all its forms of practice.
Accessibility is one of the pillars of ALLOS’s ESG agenda, and the company continues to expand its portfolio of increasingly accessible shopping centers, alongside a public commitment to certify 100% of its destinations by 2030.
