After becoming the youngest Brazilian to win an ATP level title with the triumph in Buenos Aires on Sunday (16), the carioca João Fonseca, 18, landed this week in his homeland for the Open River dispute surrounded by expectations.
Now as the current number 1 of Brazil in the ATP ranking – to the world’s 68th post – Fonseca emerges as the main hope to win the champion cup for the first time for the country.
Arriving in its 11th edition, South America’s main tennis tournament has no Brazilian champion yet on the simple key. Spain, with Rafael Nadal (2014), David Ferrer (2015) and Carlos Alcaraz (2022), is the country with the most titles in the tournament, followed by Argentina, with Diego Schwartzman (2018) and Sebastián Báez (2024).
In 2024, Brazil had the first champion of the tournament, but in the double key, with the victory of Rafael Matos alongside Colombian Nicolas Barrientos. Matos returns to play this year, this time forming a double with compatriot Marcelo Melo.
In last year’s edition was when the country also reached the best campaign in history in the simple key, with three representatives advancing to the quarterfinals – João Fonseca, who became the younger tennis player to reach the phase in the history of the tournament, At 17, besides Thiago Wild and Thiago Monteiro.
At the time, Fonseca was eliminated by Argentine Mariano Navone. In the victorious campaign in Argentina, the Brazilian took revenge on the defeat, overthrowing Navone in his domains also in the quarterfinals.
In the edition that starts this Monday (17), Brazil will have five representatives in the jockey club’s clay courts. In addition to Fonseca and Thiagos, will also be in action Felipe Meligeni and Gustavo Heide.
Defending the 90 points he won in Rio de Janeiro last year, Fonseca makes his debut against French Alexandre Müller, 60th in the ranking.
The 28 -year -old also won his first ATP level tournament earlier this year, with the title of Hong Kong in January. It will be the first duel between the two, scheduled to take place on Tuesday (18).
If she is set from the first round, Fonseca will face the winner of the duel between Argentine Tomas Etcheverry (43rd) – bound by the Brazilian in Buenos Aires – and French Corentin Moutet (66th).
“Next week will be another challenge. Going to Rio today [domingo]rest, feel the court tomorrow and Tuesday go with everything to Rio Open. I want to enjoy this moment and tomorrow already turn the key, because this is the tennis, so is the sport in general. You get a title and then think about the next goal, “Fonseca said shortly after winning the title in the Argentine capital.
Beating the Open River will strengthen the upward trajectory of the Brazilian started since last year, approaching the Top 60.
The tournament distributes to the champion 500 points, plus a prize of US $ 448 thousand (R $ 2.5 million). The final takes place on Sunday (23), at 5:30 pm (Brasília time).
Number 2 of the world, German Alexander Zverev is the best ranked tennis player in the tournament and makes his debut against Chinese Yuchaookete Bu (69th).
Olympic champion in Tokyo-2020 and Roland Garros vice in 2024, Zverev praised the young Brazilian promise, but also said that patience is needed with his development process.
“He has talent, otherwise he would not have the results he is having. I talked to him, it seems to be a very nice boy, very foot to the floor. The most important thing is to realize that these are just the first steps, and we all need Calm us down, “said the German, who could face Fonseca in a possible semifinal on the Open River.
