Stage 1 of the 14th Fairmont Beach Tennis Circuit season takes place this weekend in Copacabana at Arena ABTERJ, drawing nearly 500 athletes.
The 14th season of the Fairmont Beach Tennis Circuit kicks off this Saturday (Feb 7) with its first stage at Arena ABTERJ. Matches will be held at Quiosque Nativo on Copacabana Beach. In addition, the circuit is described as the longest-running in the state and is sponsored by Hotel Fairmont.
The opening stage set a historic participation record. In total, the event will feature 492 athletes. As a result, the tournament expands competition across multiple categories throughout the weekend.
Júlio Cabral returns to the top category
In the main Open/A category, the men’s field will have 24 pairs. One headline is the return of Júlio Cabral. Born in Paraíba, he moved to Rio as a baby and lived with his father, a building doorman in Ipanema.
Cabral discovered beach tennis through the 7BT Solidário social project led by teachers Lívia Fernandes and Carla Bergamini. Next, he stood out, won Fairmont Circuit stages in recent years, and now returns for the opener alongside instructor Rodrigo Macedo.
“Expectations are extremely high because it’s the circuit that showed beach tennis to the world for me, where I won my first titles. The crowd’s energy is always incredible, and we’re going all in to try to take this title.”
Today, Cabral says he makes his living through the sport as a coach in Vila Velha (Espírito Santo) and as a professional athlete. Therefore, his return adds another chapter to a journey that began in a social program. The title race is expected to be competitive among the top pairs.
Key pairs and women’s favorites
In the men’s draw, Cabral and Macedo will face competition from Bernardo Machado and Igor Fioravante. Other named contenders include Victor Xavier, second in the rankings, and Pedro Vieira. This way, the main bracket brings together athletes with strong recent results.
In the women’s field, Clarinha Soares, third in the rankings, will partner with Beatriz Nóbrega. They are listed among the main favorites, along with Adriana dos Santos, ranked fourth, and Cristina Paiva. In addition, the category promises matchups between highly ranked pairs.
Categories and event partners
The tournament will also feature B, C, D, and E categories. Formats include men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and Masters 40 and 50+. As a result, the event brings together a wide range of levels and age groups.
The Fairmont Circuit is sponsored by Fairmont Rio and supported by Trem do Corcovado, AI Beach Tennis, and Rio de Janeiro City Hall. It also has backing from SMEL, the Municipal Sports and Leisure Secretariat. Finally, the event is organized by ABTERJ.