By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday February 16, 2025
Joao Fonseca won his maiden ATP title in Buenos Aires, making history as the youngest South American man to claim an ATP title in 38 years.
Photo Source: TTV
18-year-old Joao Fonseca has showcased talent beyond his years and a heart and head to match this week in Buenos Aires this week.
The Brazilian fought his way through the draw, even saving a pair of match points in the quarterfinals, to become the first man born in 2006 to reach an ATP final.
He took it a step further on Sunday, completing an historic maiden ATP title run with a 6-4, 7-6(1) win over Argentina‘s Francisco Cerundolo.
The 18-year-old becomes the 10th youngest title winner in tour history, and the youngest South American man to win an ATP title since 1987.
Fonseca will become the Brazilian No. 1 on Monday and rise to a career high ranking of 68.
How would the surging talent handle the pressure of his first career final and the biggest match of his blossoming career?
Six games into the contest, after an early trade of breaks, it was clear that he had adjusted nicely, as he showcased his variety and feathered a drop shot winner to hold at love for three-all. If any player was nervous early on Sunday it was Cerundolo, playing the the final in his hometown against a young gun who seemingly had nothing to lose.
Surginig Fonseca, who broke for 4-3 on his second break point of the game as a Cerundolo forehand clipped the tape and flew wide, would gradually take control of proceedings.
Two games later he was down 15-30 while serving for the set at 5-4 but came up with a perfect serve plus one sequnce to level at 30-all.
Fonseca, blessed with breathtaking power that has many tabbing him for future greatness on tour, used his majestic forehand to great effect on the next point, forcing a Cerundolo error and earning his first set point.
The Argentine pegged him back to deuce with a forehand winner but two points later, Fonseco sealed the set with his first day of the day, 121 MPH down the T for 6-4.
Fonseca had a break point in the first game of the second set, but couldn’t capitalize. Not to worry - more chances would be coming. The 18-year-old took one of them in the fifth game, thanks to some charity in the form of a pair of forehand errors from Cerundolo, and grabbed a break lead at 3-2.
Would nerves play a factor? Certainly…
After an atrocious error that gave Cerundolo a break point in the next game, Fonseca confidently served and volleyed, knocking the forehand cleanly into the open court for deuce. He closed out the consolidation two points later, quelling the anxiety, at least for a moment.
There would be more anxiety to come, however.
Fonseca failed on his first attempt to serve for the championship. But he didn’t hang his head. He quickly turned the tide and played a scintillating game to regain the break.
On his second chance to serve out the title, the Brazilian faltered again, the crowd keeping the atmosphere lively as it did its part to unnerve the teenager. Fonseca sailed a backhand long and the crowd broke out in song as Cerundolo prepared to serve to start the ensuing tiebreak.
It would be Fonseca’s forehand that did the singing in the tiebreak. He seared a crosscourt winner for 3-0 and extended his lead to 4-0 on the next point. Two points later another ballistic forehand forced a Cerundolo error long, and the players changed ends with Fonseca leading 5-1.
The many Brazilian fans in attendance now at full throat, Fonseca knocked another volley winner into the open court to earn five match points at 6-1.
A final forehand winner, exquisitely lasered down the line, sent Fonseca to the clay on his back in exultation, an incredible moment in the history of Joao Fonseca and, quietly likely, the first of many title runs for the rising talent.