The ATP tour has welcomed many future stars over the past 11 months. Along with the seniors taking the trophies and titles, the youngsters are slowly joining the ranks. Joao Fonseca is one of the promising talents who has made his tour debut this year. He played his first-ever match on the tour this year in his hometown of Brazil. The teenager has been preparing now for the big stages.
Fonseca has been making an impression on the ITF tour and is expected to make a big move in the 2024 season. He has only played a single match on the ATP tour and is currently ranked No. 722. He was busy playing juniors up until this season and is now focusing on improving his rankings.
Joao Fonseca has had an interest in soccer and tennis since childhood
Fonseca has been involved in playing sports since childhood. He played soccer and tennis while growing up. An injury from soccer made him shift to playing tennis full-time. Soccer was deemed too risky for him, as he found his calling on the court with a racket.
Guilherme Teixeira has coached the Brazilian since he was 12 years old. He has kept his coach the same since then. Fonseca grew up watching Roger Federer and considers him to be his idol. He also finds inspiration from Gustavo Kuerten, who has won the French Open three times. Kuerten is regarded as a national icon in Brazil for his sporting achievements.
Joao Fonseca makes an impression in junior grand slam
Fonseca made his junior grand slam debut at the French Open in 2022. He reached the third round while losing to the home crowd favorite, Gabriel Debru, in straight sets. The teenager then played at Wimbledon but lost in the second round to Sebastian Grozny in three sets. Fonseca had a disappointing run at the US Open as he exited in the opening round.
Fonseca’s career progression looked downhill, but he turned it around this year. The 17-year-old reached the quarterfinals of the junior Australian Open without dropping a set. In the quarterfinals, he lost to eventual champion Alexander Blockx. Fonseca reached the quarterfinal stage at the French Open while losing to Learner Tien.
The rising star entered his third junior grand slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon. He then reached greater heights at the US Open. Fonseca reached the finals and got revenge by defeating Tien to take the trophy. Fonseca hit 41 winners in the final, while his opponent could only hit 10.
Joao Fonseca is getting familiar with the ATP tour
The 2022 US Open junior title was a landmark achievement for Fonseca. He also made his country proud by winning six singles matches to lift the 2022 Junior Davis Cup trophy. His heroics did not go unnoticed, as Fonseca had a practice session with Carlos Alcaraz at Rio de Janeiro in 2022. He was also the sparring partner for the Brazilian team at the Davis Cup.
João Fonseca says people in Brazil call him ‘Little Sinner’
“Does your tennis identify with any of the top players of today?”
João: “I would say Jannik Sinner because I like to play aggressive. My backhand is more consistent than my forehand although this shot is my main… pic.twitter.com/jhiOZBkkY1
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 5, 2023
The junior world No. 1 got to play with the top players in the world at the Nitto ATP Finals as the sparring partner. Fonseca again got the chance to play against Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. His aggressive style on the court and thin legs have made him known as “little Sinner.” Fonseca idolizes Alcaraz, who is always focused and dominates the matches with his powerful shots.
ATP tour debut gives Wimbledon title hopes to Joao Fonseca
Traditions and their perfection at Wimbledon have made Fonseca set his target for the future. The young Brazilian wishes to win his first grand slam title at Wimbledon. He has played twice at junior Wimbledon and understands the historical significance of the oldest event in the sport. Fonseca debuted his ATP tour this year in Rio de Janeiro as a wildcard entry.
From Hitting Partner to Main Draw! 🤩
16-year-old Joao Fonseca receives a wildcard to become the first player from Rio de Janeiro to feature in the singles main draw at the @RioOpenOficial#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/lGPedK5Xrv
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 20, 2023
The 17-year-old lost to Alex Molcan in the opening round. It was a life-changing moment for Fonseca as he played in front of the home crowd. Fonseca will aim for bigger milestones in the 2024 season and hopes to make a mark in his upcoming matches.