When the 18-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca beat the world No 9 at the time, Andrey Rublev, in this year’s Australian Open first round the hype machine went into overdrive. Here was the next big thing, a man who could bridge the gap to the world’s top two, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. When he went out in round two, questions were asked about the wisdom in talking up a man appearing in his first grand slam draw.
One month later, Fonseca proved he has the mental strength and resolve to match his undoubted talent. Facing Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires, in front of a hostile home crowd, he saved two match points and then went all the way to win his first ATP Tour title. He handled the occasion brilliantly, loving every minute. The hype is real.
