Who is Joao Fonseca? Meet the 18-year-old Brazilian sensation taking the tennis world by storm

Joao Fonseca, originally from Rio de Janeiro, is poised to become a prominent figure in the world of tennis. He made his ATP Tour debut at the 2023 Rio Open, entering as a 16-year-old wild card. In the same year, he reached the quarterfinals in the junior categories of both the French Open and Wimbledon. Subsequently, he celebrated his first junior Grand Slam victory on the blue courts of Flushing Meadows later that season.

The Brazilian, who grew up 10 minutes away from the site of the Rio Open, was invited to the 2023 ATP Finals as the sparring partner for some of the top players in the world. He engaged in one-on-one practice sessions with prominent players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev.

Big-name agencies such as IMG and Team8 are battling to manage his career, but he has put on hold signing up with either of them for now.  Fonseca does maintain a connection with Team8, the agency associated with Roger Federer, as he has been signed by the sportswear brand 'On,' in which the Swiss tennis legend is an investor.

The Brazilian made an impact during the Davis Cup Round Robin stage in September 2024 by securing a victory over Botic van de Zandschulp in his first appearance in the team-based event.

Later, in 2024, Fonseca qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. He lifted the trophy while remaining undefeated. The Brazilian teenager commenced his 2025 season by making his debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. He came through qualifying in the Australian Open and reached the second round by defeating World No. #9 Andrey Rublev.

Shortly after, he triumphed over Argentine Francisco Cerundolo on his home turf, securing victory at the Argentina Open. Fonseca thwarted Cerundolo’s hopes of a hometown win by winning the match in straight sets.

Who is Joao Fonseca?

Joao Fonseca was introduced to various sports by his parents, Roberta and Christiano Fonseca, who themselves engaged in multiple sports. As a result, Joao developed a passion for sports from a young age, participating in football and tennis, while also exploring jiu-jitsu and judo.

Fonseca began his journey in the sport at the age of four, engaging in tennis at the Rio de Janeiro Country Club located near his residence, where his mother, Roberta, would accompany him to the clay courts.

The Brazilian watched Nadal from the front-row seats in Rio de Janeiro in 2014, the year in which the Spaniard secured the title. The young Brazilian holds Federer in high regard and has expressed his desire to integrate the Federer serve into his repertoire.

The Brazilian is presently under the guidance of Guilherme Teixeira, who has been mentoring the teenager since he was 12 years old.

Playing Style

Joao Fonseca is a self-professed, aggressive baseliner who likes to end the rallies early. The variation and penetrating nature of his groundstrokes pushes his opponents to go on the defensive. The Brazilian can resort to playing with a soft hand should the situation demand.  

Best ranking achieved

Joao Fonseca rose a remarkable 573 spots in the ATP Rankings since January on the back of two tour-level quarterfinals. In September, he reached a career-high ranking of No. 157. Following his victory at the Challenger Trophy in Lexington in June, he became the youngest player to enter the top 200, securing the No. 166 position.

He finished the 2024 season ranked No. #145, a remarkable rise of 585 spots from January 2024. Following his victory in Argentina, where he secured his first ATP title, the talented Fonseca attained a career-best ranking of World No. 68.

Best performances

Fonseca’s season kicked off the 2024 season on a buoyant note by making a winning debut on the ATP Tour. He won his first match at the ATP level on home turf at the ATP 500 Rio Open. Subsequently, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament and continued his journey by turning professional at the age of 17.

In Rio, the young Brazilian triumphed over two ATP Top 100 players on his way to the quarter-finals - Arthur Fils (ranked 36) and Cristian Garin (ranked 88).

Fonseca claimed the Lexington Challenger in July this year without dropping a set. At the age of 17 years, 11 months, and 17 days, he was merely one day younger than Sinner was when the Italian claimed the title in 2019. With this victory at the Lexington Challenger, Fonseca also established himself as the youngest Brazilian champion in Challenger history since 1978.

Joao Fonseca broke new ground in the Group A Davis Cup tie against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp.  It was the first match of the day, and it witnessed Fonseca take down Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets for a 6-4, 7-6(3) win in just 92 minutes. 

Fonseca capitalized on his success from the 2024 season by entering the ATP Top 100 by the conclusion of January 2025. His performance in the second round in Melbourne secured him the No. 99 position in the ATP rankings, making him the youngest player to reach the Top 100 since Carlos Alcaraz in October 2021, as well as the youngest Brazilian to achieve this milestone in the history of the ATP Rankings.

At the recently concluded Argentina Open, he overcame four Argentinian competitors to secure his first ATP title. This event also marked his first appearance in an ATP final. In the title round, he denied Francisco Cerundolo the win with a 6-4, 7-6(1) victory. 

Future potential

Fonseca is set to compete next at the Rio Open, a tournament in which he reached the quarter-finals last year. He is not shy about his ambitions either, stating his goal to attain the World No. 1 ranking and secure Grand Slam titles following his victory in Argentina.

The young Brazilian, still in his teenage years, possesses the mental resilience necessary to succeed as he transitions from the Challenger circuit to the ATP Tour. Joao Fonseca has set ambitious goals for himself, aspiring to follow in the footsteps of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Cover Credits - Tennis.com