João Fonseca had a series of seven victories interrupted this Wednesday (29), including his triumph in the friendly Laver Cup. He faced the Russian Karen Khachanov, 14th in the world rankings, in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Paris, and lost by 2 sets 1, partials of 6/1, 3/6 and 6/3, in one hour and 50 minutes.
The Russian closed the first set in 29 minutes, taking advantage of the many unforced errors from the 19-year-old Brazilian, who seemed to feel the wear and tear of the sequence of games over the last two weeks. Last Sunday, Fonseca was champion of the ATP 500 in Basel, Switzerland.
In the first game of the second set, Fonseca found himself facing four break points. Saved all four. In the next game, it was the opponent’s turn to weaken, giving up the first break to the carioca. Fonseca won 6/3 thanks to the only “break point” he had. His serve was still threatened at 4/2, but he remained calm to close.
The third set started evenly. The most controversial move of the game came at 2/1 for the Russian and 30/15 for the Brazilian. Khachanov requested a review of a ball he hit after two bounces. The video didn’t prove him right, and he was booed by the audience.
Until then, well on the serve, Fonseca committed two fatal double faults and was broken in the eighth game. Annoyed, the Brazilian threw his racket on the ground after losing the first point of the next game.
The crowd became inflamed, prompting the chair judge to ask for silence several times. Khachanov closed after two of the most beautiful points of the match, two long exchanges of balls.
“In the third set, I was feeling good. He left me with gaps, with difficulty with his serve, until I served poorly at 3/4. I made two double faults and missed four first serves”, lamented João. “These are small details that at this level you can’t make mistakes.”
It was the Brazilian’s first match on the new central court of the Parisian tournament, which belongs to the second tier of the professional circuit, below only the four Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open). The court has a capacity for 17,500 spectators.
The Fonseca x Khachanov clash closed this Wednesday’s night program.
The Russian will face in the round of 16 the Australian Alex De Minaur, sixth in the ranking, who beat the Canadian Gabriel Diallo, current number 42, by 2 sets to 1, partials of 7/6 (10/8), 4/6 and 6/3.
After the surprising elimination of the number 1 in the world, the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz – defeated by the British Cameron Norrie –, the main favorite became the Italian Jannik Sinner, second in the ranking. This Wednesday, Sinner easily overcame Belgian Zizou Bergs by sets to 0, with 6/4 and 6/2.
