RIO DE JANEIRO — Emerging tennis prodigy João Fonseca faced disappointment at the Rio Open on Tuesday, suffering a first-round defeat just days after clinching his inaugural ATP title.
The 18-year-old Brazilian was defeated 6-1, 7-6 (4) by France’s No. 60, Alexandre Muller, committing a staggering 34 unforced errors and appearing visibly fatigued throughout the match.
Just two days prior, Fonseca celebrated a significant milestone by winning his first title at the prestigious Argentina Open, marking a major career achievement.
Muller, in turn, will advance to face Argentina’s Tomás Martin Etcheverry in the next stage of the tournament.
“It was challenging to compete against such a formidable opponent and in front of about 5,000 fans, but I’m thrilled to secure the win today,” Muller expressed. “I felt composed for half of the match. Even though I missed some opportunities to secure a break in the second set, Fonseca started to find his rhythm. I executed a fantastic tiebreak to close it out.”
This weekend, Fonseca made history as the first player born in 2006 or later to claim an ATP singles title, becoming the 10th youngest champion in ATP Tour history and the youngest South American player to earn a title since the ATP Tour’s inception in 1990.
Last year, he showcased his talent by reaching the quarterfinals of the Rio tournament, an ATP 500 event, and concluded 2024 on a high note by winning the Next Gen ATP Finals in December.
Following his success in Buenos Aires, Fonseca leaped up 31 positions in the ATP rankings to secure the No. 68 spot this week.
