Joao Fonseca Feels Eager to Rebound in Rio After Poor Argentina Open Campaign

Joao Fonseca is in his third tournament of the season but has yet to win a match. The teenage sensation enjoyed fame last year after shocking the tennis world with his performance in big tournaments and winning two ATP 500 titles. However, at the Rio Open, he’s seeking to rekindle his form.

The Brazilian teenager ended the 2025 season in the top 40 for the first time in his career after winning the Swiss Indoor tournament in October. But entering into the new season, he began to struggle with a back issue that has seen him struggle on the court this season, and he’s yet to win a competitive match in 2026.

The 19-year-old was meant to kick off his season campaign at the Brisbane International but he withdrew due to a back injury. Anyway, in his first match of the season, he surprisingly fell to American Eliot Spizzirri in the opening round of the Australian Open. At the Argentina Open, he was expected to defend the tournament, but he crashed out in the second round.

The Brazilian teenager lost in three sets to Alejandro Tabilo. He’s currently on home soil at the Rio Open and will be expecting the home fans’ support. He’s seeded third in the ATP 500 tournament after the first and second seeds, Francisco Cerundolo and Luciano Darderi, who have been in better form.

Cerundolo won the Argentina Open, while Darderi reached the round of 16 of the Australian Open and finished as runner-up in Buenos Aires. During Fonseca’s press conference, he noted that he’s 100 percent fit and ready to get back to playing his best after his early exit from the Argentina Open:

I’m feeling good. I’m ready 100% physically. I have been struggling in the beginning of the year with my lower back, but now I’m 100%, feeling great, back on court. It was a pretty tight match in Buenos Aires against a very good player, and I think the opportunity to play a week where you are a defending champion was great. I’m thinking about positive things. It was my first time, and of course a little bit more pressure, but I think I handled it pretty well.

Fonseca will face his fellow compatriot Thiago Monteiro in his opening match at the Rio Open. He played in the doubles category on Monday (February 16) alongside Marcelo Melo and the pair defeated Andrea Pellegrino and Roman Andres Burruchaga in the first round. He will use the win as a motivation for his opening singles match.

Joao Fonseca reveals why playing in a South American clay tournament is difficult

Joao Fonseca has featured at the Rio Open only three times in his career. In his first appearance in 2023, he lost to Alex Molcan in the first round. The following year, he reached the quarter-finals before losing to Argentine star Marion Navone. In 2025, he fell to Alexandre Müller in the first round in straight sets.

Fonseca holds a 13-11 win-loss record on clay in his young career on tour. During the press conference, he explained that playing on clay in South America is different because of the continent’s humid climate. He added that the fans are louder than the European supporters:

I think the most different thing is the weather [in Europe]. It’s hotter and more humid [here], and I think the fans are such a big thing. They pull out a lot of the culture of Argentina and Brazil, perhaps because of football, it’s huge. They cheer a lot. Sometimes it’s too much! But I think it’s a great environment and that’s the biggest thing [about South America].

Fonseca will face a tough test at the Rio Open, as Francisco Cerundolo and Luciano Darderi are tipped to win the title. Both players have picked up incredible wins the past few weeks on tour, but one cannot write off Fonseca, who is definitely going to be eager to be at his best level on the court.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Reveals Reason Why His Parents Don’t Come Often to Tennis Tournaments

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