For the third consecutive year, the Wheelchair Tennis Elite — presented by ALLOS — will be one of the highlights of the Rio Open, the largest tennis tournament in South America. Held from February 19 to 21 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, the competition will once again bring together some of the biggest names in wheelchair tennis.
In 2026, the main attraction will be Japan’s Tokito Oda, the world No. 1 and recent Australian Open champion. Also confirmed are Spain’s Martín de la Puente, world No. 3, Argentina’s Gustavo Fernández, world No. 4, and Brazil’s Daniel Rodrigues.
“The Wheelchair Tennis Elite holds a very special place within the Rio Open. It is an initiative that expands the meaning of the tournament and reinforces our mission to deliver an event that goes beyond competition, embracing relevant causes and promoting transformative experiences. Welcoming top-level wheelchair tennis athletes into our schedule means recognizing the greatness of this discipline and giving fans the opportunity to experience stories of talent, dedication, and resilience on a stage of maximum visibility,” said Rio Open Tournament Director Marcia Casz.
On February 19, the four players will compete in the semifinals, with matchups to be determined by draw. The singles final will take place on February 20, while February 21 will be dedicated to a doubles exhibition.
The initiative goes beyond the courts and reinforces Rio Open’s commitment to diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. The tournament features accessible infrastructure throughout the Jockey Club Brasileiro complex, following standards that facilitate movement and accommodation for people with disabilities.
“The Rio Open has always had diversity, accessibility, and inclusion at the core of its DNA. The Wheelchair Tennis Elite perfectly reflects this vision: a stage for extraordinary athletes who inspire both on and off the court. Having a line-up featuring the world No. 1, No. 3, and No. 4, alongside a Brazilian representative who has just played his first Grand Slam, reinforces our commitment to giving visibility to Paralympic sport and using tennis as a tool for social transformation,” said Rio Open Vice Director Thomaz Costa.
One of the main attractions of the 2026 edition, Tokito Oda is only 19 years old and already sits at the top of the rankings. He is widely regarded as the successor to legend Shingo Kunieda, owner of 50 Grand Slam titles, who took part in the inaugural Wheelchair Tennis Elite at the Rio Open in 2024.
Oda has won 39 titles in his career, eight of them Grand Slams: Roland Garros in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Wimbledon in 2023 and 2025; the Australian Open in 2024 and 2026; and the US Open in 2025. The Japanese player is the youngest ever to win all four major tournaments on the circuit and a Paralympic gold medal, achieved at the Paris Games. In 2023, he became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam, claiming the Roland Garros title at just 17 years old. Oda is also the youngest player to reach world No. 1 in wheelchair tennis.
Martín de la Puente will return to the courts of the Jockey Club Brasileiro to defend the title he won last year. The Spaniard, who is currently world No. 3 in singles, has collected 36 titles. In doubles, De la Puente won the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2025, earned a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and is the current world No. 4 in the category. One of the sport’s main forces today, he established himself among the elite at an early age, reaching world No. 1 in doubles in 2022. He has represented Spain at the Paralympic Games since 2016, when he was just 17.
Also returning to Rio is Gustavo Fernández, former world No. 1 in singles. Considered one of the legends of wheelchair tennis, the Argentine has 70 career titles, including nine Grand Slams. In singles, he won Roland Garros in 2016 and 2019, the Australian Open in 2017 and 2019, and Wimbledon in 2019. In doubles, Fernández was champion at Wimbledon in 2015 and 2022, Roland Garros in 2019, and the US Open last year alongside Tokito Oda. With the bronze medal won at the Paris 2024 Games, he became the first South American to medal in wheelchair tennis at the Paralympics.
Completing the line-up for the 2026 Wheelchair Tennis Elite is Brazil’s current No. 1, Daniel Rodrigues. The Brazilian representative at the last four editions of the Paralympic Games, he has won 34 career titles. Currently ranked No. 14 in the world, Rodrigues has earned two silver and three bronze medals at the Parapan American Games and, earlier this year, made his first appearance at the Australian Open.
The Wheelchair Tennis Elite has already featured other great names in the sport, such as British players Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, who have more than 200 career titles, as well as Spanish Paralympic medalist Daniel Caverzaschi.
The event has also promoted matches between wheelchair tennis stars and players such as João Fonseca and Argentina’s Juan Martín del Potro, as well as tributes to young talents like Vitória Miranda and Luiz Calixto, junior Grand Slam champions.
Sport as a tool for social impact
For the third consecutive year, ALLOS sponsors the event. The company believes in transformation through sport and, for that reason, once again brings the Wheelchair Tennis Elite exhibitions to the tournament schedule.
“At ALLOS, we see sport as an agent of change, with the power to mobilize, inspire, and create real connections. That is why bringing the Wheelchair Tennis Elite back to the Rio Open reflects our commitment to inclusion, the development of Paralympic sport, and the spirit of resilience it represents,” said ALLOS CEO Rafael Sales, who is a wheelchair user. “Watching these athletes on court is a way to value their journeys and broaden the conversation around accessibility and diversity in sport,” he added.
Shopping Leblon, one of ALLOS’s main assets in Rio de Janeiro, has sponsored the Rio Open since its first edition 12 years ago. As part of the activations, the mall has displayed the tournament’s official poster, hosted holiday workshops until February 1, and during the event will feature its own stand with interactive experiences, including registration for the app and the Solar program, as well as photo opportunities with the tournament mascot Afrânio, in both printed and AI-animated digital versions.
The mall also runs the “Tennis for All” project, which offers tennis lessons to residents of the Vidigal, Pavão-Pavãozinho, and other nearby communities, and supports the Futuro Bom project, which teaches tennis to children in vulnerable situations in public schools and partner venues across Rio de Janeiro. Since 2016, the initiative has directly impacted more than 5,000 children.
