As it approaches the opening of its eleventh edition in 2025, Rio Open has been awarded in 2024, for the fourth year running, the prestigious ‘Carbon Neutral’ seal from the United Nations Organization (UN). The recognition is the product of the voluntary efforts of the Rio Open Green sustainability platform, which aims to minimize environmental impact by acting on two parallel and complementary fronts: efficient and sustainable waste management, and emissions reduction and offsetting.

The largest tennis tournament in South America, and one of the main in Latin America, strives to be a benchmark event, with sustainable attitudes that contribute to society, respect the environment, and inspire and sensitize people. Since 2020, in partnership with event sponsor ENGIE, Rio Open has been attempting to neutralize its climate impact and mitigate its CO2 emissions from both the event itself and spectator commutes. The initiative has been effective, leading to the neutralization of 4,686 tCO2eq in the shape of carbon credits from the Jirau Energia Hydro Plant’s production of renewable energy, registered before the UN Clean Development Mechanism and with ENGIE (40%), Eletrobras (40%) and Mitsui (20%) for shareholders.

“Ever since Rio Open’s creation, we have been trying to bring together the transformative power of sports and a positive impact on society. Doing our share to contribute to an increasingly sustainable future is more than a pledge, it is a privilege. We want to keep evolving year after year and inspiring new attitudes all around us, serving as the agents for change that the Planet needs,” says Rio Open general Director Marcia Casz.

“Our purpose is to act to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy by means of reduced energy consumption and more sustainable solutions, including emissions reduction and neutralization. Our purpose supporting events like Rio Open is to make sure that they become more sustainable each year,” noted ENGIE Brasil CEO Mauricio Bähr.

“We started out decarbonizing the event itself. We then decarbonized athletes’ commutes and, since last year, have also been computing the audience’s commutes. Early on, in 2019, we invested approximately 400 carbon credits and reached almost 1,500 in 2023. Each credit is equivalent to one ton of CO2,” said Jirau Energia CEO Edson Silva.

Rio Open Green

Rio Open Green represents the event’s environmental pledge, focusing on efficient waste management and emissions neutralization. In addition to neutralizing carbon emissions, recycling too is a priority action for the platform’s sustainability pillar. In 2023, only 10% of the event’s total waste evaded recycling, including the entire assembly and dismantling period, a milestone in the tournament’s history that set a new bar for the following years, in pursuit of continued improvement.

Rio Open’s sustainability journey begins far before the event itself, incorporating circularity principles into waste management and investing in actions that contribute to attaining recycling goals. During the event, other actions are put into motion, such as: racket string reuse, collecting bottle crowns for future initiatives, and redirecting leftover balls and uniforms to social projects. Since 2023, the Rio Open Green stand has been open to the public, providing information focusing on awareness-building and engagement as to the tournament’s environmental initiatives, and with on-site emissions calculations.

 Rio Open Ace

Rio Open Ace is the tournament’s social pillar, centered on the power of sports as a social inclusion and transformation tool. Since 2015, the program has been dedicated to the personal and professional development and children and youths, collaborating with social projects and impacting over 900 households. These initiatives contribute to reducing social inequality and take place year-round through several initiatives, such as the Winners Tournament, ball-catcher training, stringing courses (certified by the ERSA – European Racquet Stringers Association) and donation of material to supported projects.

 Diversity and inclusion

Commitment to the promotion of diversity and respect for differences are priorities for Rio Open, valuing the richness that emerges from the gathering of people with diverse life histories, experiences and preferences. As an ongoing part of the process, lectures have been promoted to build sensitivity around the importance of a diverse and inclusive working environment. In addition, an Ombudsmanship available to all people attending or working at Rio Open has been set up to offer support to anyone who may feel disrespected during the event.

Economic Impact

Rio Open creates a sizeable economic impact for the local communities and economy. The event’s relevance and excellence attract qualified tourists who consume locally, with effects on the hospitality industry, tourist spots and local eateries, generating sustainable jobs and indirect stimuli for various economic industries.

The 10th Rio Open was historical both on- and off-court. With tickets sold out since 2023, the tournament, which gathered together world tennis starts at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, set an audience record, with 65 thousand spectators in nine days, and more than BRL 160 million in transactions for the Rio de Janeiro state economy, including tourism and jobs created, with more than 5 thousand direct and indirect positions filled.

In 2025, sustainability will remain a key pillar for Rio Open. Compliance with responsible environmental practices and the constant pursuit of new ways to minimize the tournament’s environmental impact will continue at the heart of the event. By maintaining the Rio Open Green platform’s initiatives, South America’s main tennis tournament reaffirms its devotion to promoting a more sustainable and aware future before every participant and spectator.

The eleventh edition of Rio Open will take pace in February 15-23, 2025, once again at the Jockey Club Brasileiro (Rio de Janeiro), with a gallery of champions that includes the likes of Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Pablo Cuevas, Dominic Thiem, Diego Schwartzman, Laslo Djere, Cristian Garin, Cameron Norrie, Sebastián Báez and Carlos Alcaraz. And not only! Out of the players who have been in the ATP’s top-tem, the event also watched Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfis and Fabio Fognini play.

Rio Open is hosted by IMM, with support from the Instituto Carioca de Tênis.