Fonseca youngest to 3rd round after 2011

Hindustan Times

8 hours ago

Mumbai: Joao Fonseca stood, arms outstretched, face towards the sky, soaking in the cheers from the crowd that began the moment Jenson Brooksby's return sailed long. Fonseca then bent and buried his head in his hat, rising up in a roar of 'Vamos.' Brazil's Joao Fonseca. (AFP)
Later, he explained to the Tennis Channel what he was thinking in that moment of triumph.
'I realised that I'm in the third round,' the 18-year-old said, with a big smile.
This was quite the achievement as Fonseca, on his Wimbledon debut, became the youngest man since Bernard Tomic in 2011 to reach the third round of the major. And that too in his first year as a professional tennis player.
'It's a thing to be proud of,' Fonseca said in the post-match press conference. 'It's a great achievement, and with the way that I played today also. I'm very happy with my development on this surface, I'm evolving, so I'm happy with it.'
With the 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win over Brooksby, the teen from Rio de Janeiro became the first Brazilian since Thomaz Bellucci in 2010 to reach this stage at Wimbledon. Fonseca's already the No.1 men's player in his country, and with that he has commanded a great following.
There were long queues of fans outside Court 12 hoping to get a glimpse of him at work. Those who have seen Fonseca play know of the aggressive and hard-hitting style that has seen him rise rapidly in the ranking ladder.
He started the year ranked 145 in the world, but came into the new season on the back of winning the ATP Next Gen Finals. Immediately, he started to pile on the victories, winning the ATP Challenger in Canberra, also his first tournament of the season. He continued that momentum to go through the qualifiers of the Australian Open and became the first man to beat a top-10 opponent – ninth-seed Andrey Rublev – in the first round of a Grand Slam since Mario Ancic beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2002.
The form has not dipped since. Fonseca became the youngest South American to win an ATP title when he clinched the Buenos Aires Open in February. Last month, he reached the third round of the French Open on debut, losing to fifth-seed Jack Draper.
With all that he has achieved in his first few months as a professional, Fonseca is now ranked 54 in the world.
'(Life has) changed a lot. I'm proud of myself. I still need (time) to think about what is going on,' he said. 'A lot of change, people are knowing me more, a lot of expectations. I'm loving being on the tour, playing against big players at big tournaments, and evolving. That's the most important thing, as a person and as an athlete.'
A part of the improvement was to learn how to grind his way to a win. He has the power, on both wings, to hit his way out of trouble. But Wimbledon demands an element of subtlety. Brooksby, who had also reached the third round on his Wimbledon debut in 2022, can be a handful on grass with his skill at redirection.
The American is a defensive baseliner who thrives in long rallies. He came to Wimbledon having reached the final at Eastbourne. But Fonseca, who is still finding his feet on grass, managed to dig his heels in the tougher moments of the match – a credit, he said, to his improving mentality.
'The mentality of playing pro is very different,' said Fonseca, who hammered 50 winners in his second round win. 'Sometimes you will play your best tennis and lose the match because the other player can find a way on the important points. Sometimes you're tight on those important points. The thing I've most improved is the mentality.'
A part of his preparation for the grass-swing was watching videos of his idol Federer playing at Wimbledon and Halle. 'It was good just to inspire you how to play,' he explained.
Interestingly, Fonseca's kit sponsor is the Swiss company that Federer has invested in.
The youngster is hoping to emulate his idol. But in the attractive way he plays and the large crowds he has started to pull, he is charting his own way.