Rio de Janeiro
The rescued dogs steal the show in river
Four dogs have accompanied the players to go on track
February 21, 2025
Bruno Lorenzo
João Fonseca entered the court of Rio de Janeiro with Nino, a three -year -old dog who is looking forward to being adopted.
By Sam Jacot
When you attend the Open Rio presented by of course, you will see João Fonseca throw winning right -wing blows, Alexander Zverev throws clean upside down and the Brazilian public encouraged with enthusiasm. What may surprise you in this prestigious tennis event are the furry companions: dogs.
Since 2016, rescued dogs have been the protagonists of the river beaten earth tournament, thanks to the Premierpet initiative that promotes the responsible adoption of dogs. During the 11th edition of this ATP Tour event, four dogs – Pedro Augusto, Nino, Belinha and Beethoven – have enchanted both fans and players to accompany them on the court.
“Social responsibility is one of the pillars of the Open river and, through actions like this, you want to use the scope of sport in an event of this magnitude to raise awareness about issues that care about us, such as the responsible adoption of animals” Said Thomaz Costa, deputy director of the Open River. “The result has been very satisfying, people get excited with the presence and interaction of dogs on the court and every year there is a great demand for adoption, which is our biggest objective.”
Photo: Bruno Lorenzo
On Wednesday, Belinha, a three -year -old dog who tragically lost his mother, made a moving appearance with Alexandre Muller. After that, the Brazilian star #NextGenatp Fonseca entered the court with Nino, another three -year -old dog who is looking forward to being adopted.
The four dogs are currently available for adoption through the NGO “ADOTE UM Bichinho RJ”, adding a moving compassion and community to the Open River.
Source: https://www.atptour.com/es/news/dog-adoption-rio-open-2025
