The Brazilian João Fonseca won on a turn on Monday (23) Belgian Zizou Bergs at the debut of the ATP 250 of Eastbourne, England, and reached his first victory in the grass in an ATP level tournament.
Current number 57 of the ranking, the carioca tennis player lost the first set in Tie-Break, 10-8, but returned overwhelming in the second partial, broke the service of the 50th opponent of the world three times to apply a 6-0. In the third and decisive set, Fonseca was dominant and broke again the Bergs service to close 6 to 3, 2 hours and seven minutes.
“After a tough tie-break, overcoming the defeat was very good. I am very happy for this victory,” said the 18-year-old tennis player after the match.
This was Fonseca’s first victory on the grass surface in an ATP level tournament. He had fallen so far in the premieres in Halle (2024 and 2025) and the Wimbledon qualifying (2024).
The victories had been only in Challenger level tournaments, in Nottingham and Suriton last year.
Challenger tournaments are usually played by young career young people in the professional circuit, in search of the first points for the ranking. Then there are ATP level tournaments, divided into the 250, 500 and Masters 1000 categories, regarding the number of points distributed to the champion. At the top of the hierarchy are the four Grand Slam – Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open – who give 2,000 points to the champion.
In the next confrontation, Fonseca’s opponent will be American Taylor Fritz, number 5 of the ranking and current Eastbourne ATP champion.
With the victory on Monday, Fonseca even became the youngest to win a match in the English tournament since Fritz himself in 2015.
Eastbourne is the last preparatory tournament of the Brazilian before playing in the grass of Wimbledon, which starts in London on June 30.
