Fonseca uses his cool to reach Wimbledon second round
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 Brazil's Joao Fonseca celebrates winning his first round match against Britain's Jacob Fearnley REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 Brazil's Joao Fonseca in action during his first round match against Britain's Jacob Fearnley REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
LONDON - Brazil's Joao Fonseca displayed an ice-cool temperament to overcome a partisan crowd and a couple of rocky moments in his confident 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) win over Briton Jacob Fearnley as temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius at Wimbledon on Monday.
"In summer, Rio is very, very hot. I'm more used (to it) than European people," the 18-year-old said.
The world number 54, who has been rocketing up the rankings over the last year, said he was very nervous on his Wimbledon main-draw debut but it did not show.
"I think my serves helped me a lot with the nerves today. I served really well," he said.
At 4-4 and 0-40 down in the first set and with 51st-ranked Fearnley looking in good form, the ice set in and Fonseca rattled off the next 15 points in a row to take the set and hit the second set running.
"He was playing better," Fonseca said. "Probably if he broke me, he was going to do the set and things could go easier for him."
Fearnley threatened to get back into the match in the third-set tiebreak, going 5-2 up, but in similar fashion the Brazilian teenager found that steely cold temperament and produced two aces in a row.
"When he was serving 5-2, he made a double-fault. I said to myself, 'That's my chance'," Fonseca said.
"So very happy with the way I could manage the important points doing good serves and increasing the level."
Fonseca, a former junior number one, has a large and vocal following at home, but he heard only a couple of voices in Portuguese in the crowd on Monday.
"Normally I play with the crowd. The crowd is normally on my side," he said, while adding that the spectators were respectful despite favouring his opponent. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Swiss hope hosting Euro 2025 sees girls and women flock to the game
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BASEL, Switzerland - The traditionally green trams of Basel have been dressed in the purple and sky blue of the Women's Euro 2025 logo, while banners draped across buildings in the northwestern Swiss city read "Welcome to the Summit of Emotions," the tournament's slogan. About a dozen people watched a band perform at the city's Euro Fan Zone, but looked more like shoppers keen to escape the heat under the picnic table umbrellas than football fans. Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland kick off their tournament on Wednesday against Norway in Basel, a city better known as the country's unofficial cultural capital with its scores of museums. While the sweltering heat and sold-out stadiums are early themes, the Swiss hosts are hoping the legacy of the tournament -- played out across eight cities over the next month -- will bolster female football in the country as Euro 2022 did for England. "It's incredible, it's something when I started my national team career, I was never picturing," Switzerland captain Lia Walti said on Tuesday. "I never thought we were going to be able to host a tournament and sitting here right now in Basel, just one day before a first game of a European Championship -- it's extremely special for all of us. "Women's football is growing worldwide, extremely fast as well in Switzerland, but we do still have a lot of steps to go here and we want to use the tournament and be positive role models, inspire the nation -- and make sure that we can also be really successful in Switzerland in the future." England's Football Association reported a 140% jump in participation levels among girls and women in the season after Euro 2022, amounting to 2.3 million more players. "Especially since that tournament, you're a lot more recognised when you're walking down the street, when you're doing your shopping," said England midfielder Ella Toone, who was part of the squad that won Euro 2022. "It's still a bit of a pinch me-moment that someone's recognised me buying eggs from Aldi, you know what I mean? "We wanted it to grow, and that's what comes along with it. You've got to embrace it." BAR RAISED If Euro 2022 was considered a watershed moment for women's football, this year's tournament is raising the bar. UEFA, the governing body for European soccer, announced a record 600,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament, already beating the previous event before a ball has been kicked, with 22 of the 31 games sold out. "And that's without an opening match at Old Trafford or a final at Wembley," said Nadine Kessler, UEFA's director for women's football, referring to Euro 2022. "One of our key goals was to sell out the event. I remember how people laughed when we set this goal, but it's now turning into a reality." Norway captain Ada Hegerberg said players embrace the idea of leaving a legacy. "Being a women's footballer today, it's a cliché but it's the truth -- you play for the whole next generation," she said at Tuesday's pre-game press conference. "And as much as it can be tiring, it's also a big role and a task for us, and it should inspire us to be at our best at all times." This year's tournament also boasts a record prize pot for a Women's Euros, with a 156% jump from 2022 to 41 million euros ($48.30 million). Club benefits doubled to nine million euros, while players get a guaranteed percentage for the first time. A heatwave that has sent temperatures in Switzerland above 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) is expected to continue on Wednesday, when Iceland and Finland play in the tournament's opening game in Thun. "For me, water is really important," Walti said. "Shading, putting your feet up before the game, but still going out once a day to get used to the temperature, because otherwise it almost hits you. It's something you can't influence, (but) we are already preparing for playing at these temperatures." Basel will also host the tournament final on July 27 at St. Jakob-Park, the largest football stadium in Switzerland. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
No Draper drama as British hope races past injured Baez in Wimbledon opener
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 1, 2025 Britain's Jack Draper in action during his first round match against Argentina's Sebastian Baez REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq LONDON - Britain's Jack Draper was handed the prime-time early evening slot to get his Wimbledon campaign up and running and spared his fans any fingernail biting as he eased past Argentina's injured Sebastian Baez in double quick time on Tuesday. A dominant Draper was leading 6-2 6-2 2-1 on a boiling Court One when Baez, who hurt his knee earlier in the contest when slipping on the baseline, decided enough was enough with only one hour and 14 minutes on the clock. Home fans without tickets had parked themselves on the sun-baked hill adjacent to Court One and those watching at home on TV on their sofas for the entrance of world number four Draper. But on a day when many top men's seeds withered in the scorching temperatures, 23-year-old Draper dispensed with any drama and got the job done in ruthless fashion. Left-hander Draper, the highest British seed at Wimbledon since Andy Murray returned as defending champion in 2017, will need all his mental and physical reserves to navigate the pitfalls of Wimbledon under an intense spotlight. He has been saddled with trying to fill the void left by the retirement of twice champion Murray, and avoiding drawn-out early round matches, the like of which Murray sometimes inflicted on his legion of fans, is no bad thing. Although, speaking on court, Draper said he would have perhaps preferred a slightly tougher test. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seniors can claim $800 SG60 vouchers from July 1; adults to get $600 in vouchers from July 22 Singapore NSman, 30, dies in hospital after collapsing outside Maju Camp Asia Thai PM's suspension could spell end of Shinawatra clan's era of political dominance Singapore Judge rejects woman's claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend Singapore 'He fought till the end': Man who survived acid attack as a baby dies of cancer at 26 Singapore Trial opens for 3 women who allegedly organised procession outside Istana Business Do not overcommit to a single solution in a multi-polar world, says ex-foreign minister George Yeo Singapore 1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank disputes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore "I wanted to play a bit longer in all honesty. It is no way to win like that and I wish Sebastian the best in his recovery of course," Draper, who has rocketed up the rankings after reaching the U.S. Open semi-final last year, said. Draper will have a much sterner test in the next round when he faces big-serving Croatian Marin Cilic, a player who won the U.S. Open and also reached a Wimbledon final. He is also seeded to meet seven-times champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. HIGH EXPECTATIONS Asked how he is coping with the weight of expectation on his broad shoulders, Draper said: "I don't think about it until people mention it every five minutes! I just think about what I can control and play the best tennis I can. "I have to face whoever is in front of me, I can't be thinking about five matches ahead. I focus on whoever is up next. Everyone who is in this draw is in on their own merit, they can all play incredible tennis." When the draw was made it seemed that Draper had been given a tough first hurdle with Baez ranked 38th in the world. In reality it was a mismatch. Draper's serving power and venomous forehand were too much for a player more suited to clay and the writing was on the wall for Baez when he dropped his opening service game. The first set lasted only 25 minutes and towards the end of it the lightweight Baez slipped awkwardly when trying to change direction and early in the second set he required a lengthy check over from a doctor. Had it been a boxing match the towel might have been thrown in by then as Draper was handing out some serious punishment with a barrage of booming groundstrokes. Admirably Baez opted to carry on but the outcome was never in doubt and after he lost serve at the start of the third set he walked to the net and offered his hand. Draper has now matched his best Wimbledon run, having previously made the second round twice in three visits. This time, however, he will be expected to go much further. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Perricard exits Wimbledon but makes mark with fastest serve
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 1, 2025 France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in action during his first round match against Taylor Fritz of the U.S. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq LONDON - Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard departed Wimbledon as a first-round loser but the Frenchman left his mark on the Grand Slam with the fastest serve recorded in the tournament's history - a 153 mph (246 kph) missile against Taylor Fritz on Monday. Perricard, whose match was later suspended due to the local 11pm curfew and resumed on Tuesday, was beaten 6-7(6) 6-7(8) 6-4 7-6(6) 6-4 but much of the talk in his press conference was about his status as a "serve-bot" in the men's game. That was largely due to the 21-year-old's reputation for consistently hitting huge serves and his record-breaking effort in the opening game of the contest which eclipsed the previous tournament mark of 148 mph set by American Taylor Dent in 2010. "I didn't check the speed, to be honest. I saw that last night. I lost the point. I'm not doing some special technique to have a big serve or a fast serve. I'm serving like I'm supposed to do," Perricard told reporters. "We don't train a lot to be honest on this part of my game. It comes naturally." Australian Sam Groth hit the fastest recorded serve at a professional event with a 163.7 mph (263.4 kph) rocket at the Busan Challenger in 2012, a match he lost in straight sets to prove big serves can be blunt weapons in the modern game. Perricard, whose thundering deliveries are greatly aided by him being 6ft 8in, said he expected serves to only get faster in the future as players push the limits of their physicality. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seniors can claim $800 SG60 vouchers from July 1; adults to get $600 in vouchers from July 22 Singapore NSman, 30, dies in hospital after collapsing outside Maju Camp Asia Thai PM's suspension could spell end of Shinawatra clan's era of political dominance Singapore Judge rejects woman's claim that she owns 99% of Bukit Timah condo mostly paid for by ex-boyfriend Singapore 'He fought till the end': Man who survived acid attack as a baby dies of cancer at 26 Singapore Trial opens for 3 women who allegedly organised procession outside Istana Business Do not overcommit to a single solution in a multi-polar world, says ex-foreign minister George Yeo Singapore 1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank disputes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore "Players are stronger," he added. "They have bigger shoulders, so I don't know, 260 (kph), 270 (kph) maybe the next one is going to be." REUTERS
