"This is where I belong,” a youthful Joao Fonseca declared last year in Rio de Janeiro after scoring a milestone first-round upset at his home tournament. Then 17 years old and No. 655 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Fonseca not only downed Arthur Fils, but continued on to make history by becoming the second-youngest ATP 500 quarter-finalist since the series began in 2009.
Fonseca was hailed as a rising Brazilian prodigy — and he has certainly lived up to the billing.
The #NextGenATP star is no longer just an emerging hope, but arguably the hottest prospect in tennis. He is set to pack the stands at this year’s Rio Open presented by Claro, the very tournament he grew up attending and watching Rafael Nadal en route to the Spaniard’s 2014 title run.
Joao Fonseca (far left) attends the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro as a child. Credit: Fonseca family
Throughout his meteoric 12-month rise, Fonseca has repeatedly joined World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the record books. Fonseca lifted his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in August in Lexington, Kentucky, where he won the trophy on the five-year anniversary of the Italian’s triumph at the same event. Coincidentally, Fonseca was just one day younger than Sinner was when the Italian won in Lexington.
The 18-year-old closed the 2024 season with a dominant run at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, becoming the second-youngest champion in the event’s history — only behind Sinner.
By going undefeated across his five matches that week, Fonseca earned a teenager’s dream payday: $526,480 in prize money.
“If you told [me] at the start of the year that [I would do] all the things I did this year, I would think it is amazing,” Fonseca said following the 20-and-under event. “...I am proud of myself, but of course I want more. My dream is to become No. 1.”
Just 13 days removed from his Jeddah triumph, the Brazilian returned to the winner's circle at the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Canberra, Australia. Fonseca again joined Sinner in a niche place of history, becoming the second Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion to win his ensuing outing at any level.
Fonseca thrives in the spotlight, finding an extra gear in his already-elite level when the lights are the brightest. No better example than when he qualified for his first Slam at the Australian Open and stunned Andrey Rublev in the opening round. As Brazilian fans proudly waved their home country’s flag across Margaret Court Arena, Fonseca clinched a straight-sets victory against the World No. 9, marking the highest-ranked win of his career.
"I was trying to enter the court [knowing that] 'I'm an 18-year-old, he's a Top 10 guy,’” Fonseca said when discussing his pre-match expectations. “I am going to do my best. Of course, I was confident, I know I can win.”
Fonseca rode that belief to another breakthrough last week in Buenos Aires, where he charged to the trophy at the IEB+ Argentina Open to become the 10th-youngest champion in ATP Tour-era history (since 1990). Boasting a ferocious forehand, he has skyrocketed nearly 600 places in the PIF ATP Rankings since bursting onto the scene in Rio de Janeiro last year. He hails from the Ipanema neighborhood just 10 minutes from the tournament site, the Jockey Club Brasileiro. And now, the hometown star returns with great anticipation.
“Three years ago I was the one asking for autographs and now kids are asking me and I need to get used to it,” Fonseca said in December. “When I walk in Rio, sometimes a kid will ask for my autograph and that is crazy. It is very nice that I am inspiring kids to play tennis.”
Read More On Fonseca:
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14 years later! Fonseca recreates childhood photo with Nadal
Fonseca's fast rise & first meeting with Guga: 'He is such an idol'
Fonseca on his dream dinner guests and how he would change history!
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