Joao Fonseca: The New Tennis Star Shining at Roland Garros
After the chants of his name died down, Joao Fonseca remained on Court 7 at Roland Garros, signing autographs and posing for photos with his fans. The young tennis player, with a backward baseball cap and a youthful air, demonstrated surprising maturity in his tournament debut.
His performance in the first round against Hubert Hurkacz, seeded number 30 and a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, was dominant. Fonseca took control early, breaking Hurkacz’s serve in the third game of the first set, and left nothing to chance. Before an enthusiastic crowd, waving Brazilian flags, Fonseca demonstrated why he is considered the next tennis superstar, defeating Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in just one hour and 40 minutes.
“Expectations are going to arrive. People are going to talk, [they] will compare me with other people, other players. For my mentality, it’s good to be with people who can help me maintain the mentality I need. I need to do the best I can [to] improve my routines, be with good people, be healthy and not focus on expectations.”
Joao Fonseca
Fonseca’s victory was not a surprise to those who have followed his meteoric rise in the world of tennis. In 2023, Fonseca won the US Open junior title and became the world number one in the junior category, attracting the attention of the great figures of the sport. He was invited to the ATP Finals as a training partner for players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev.
Three months later, Fonseca achieved his first victory on the ATP circuit, defeating Arthur Fils at the Rio Open. He then reached the quarterfinals of the 500-level event, attracting passionate crowds. He decided to forgo his college eligibility to turn professional, which generated even more anticipation.
Fonseca, the first man born in 2006 to win on the circuit, continued to accumulate achievements, including his first Challenger title in August. At the end of 2024, he won the Next Generation ATP Finals, being the youngest player and the lowest-ranked in the tournament.Stefanos Tsitsipas predicted great things for Fonseca, and the young tennis player delivered. At the Australian Open, Fonseca defeated Andrey Rublev, seeded number 9, in his Grand Slam debut. Although he lost his next match, his performance propelled him into the top 100.
At the Argentina Open, Fonseca won his first ATP title, becoming the youngest Brazilian player to win a title on the circuit and the fourth youngest player in the 21st century to achieve it.
The speed of his achievements surprised Fonseca himself. “I expected to be able to go so far, but not so fast,” he said.
The recognition of his colleagues is evident. Nadal, in a press conference, referred to Fonseca as a player with a great future. Coco Gauff declared herself a fan, while Alcaraz praised his “enormous potential.” Novak Djokovic has also expressed his admiration.
Fonseca, even at 18, feels surreal to hear players he admires speak so highly of him. His matches attract crowds, often with a large presence of Brazilian fans. At the Miami Open, Fonseca felt like he was “in Brazil”.
Despite the enthusiasm, Fonseca and his family seek to maintain normalcy. He trusts his parents, with his father Christiano as his representative. He counts on Franco Davin as part of his team and Guilherme Teixeira as his main coach. Fonseca has big dreams, but focuses on the steps to follow, seeking to improve his ranking and participate in more Masters 1000 and 500 tournaments.
With his next opportunity to reach the third round of a Grand Slam against Herbert, his ranking is projected near number 57, and another victory would propel him into the top 50.
Fonseca has learned to handle the pressure and now enjoys his time in Paris. “Now I feel very comfortable. I feel very happy on the court. Happy and playing well.”
