In a thrilling climax at the ATP Next Gen Finals held in Jeddah, 18-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca showcased his tenacity and talent by overcoming a set deficit to secure victory against American talent Learner Tien, who is just a year older at 19.
Fonseca saved a crucial set point during a nerve-wracking second-set tiebreak, ultimately clinching it 10-8 to regain his momentum. From that moment on, the Brazilian exhibited astounding power on his groundstrokes, dominating the latter stages of the match.
He powered through to a convincing win with scores of 2-4, 4-3(8), 4-0, 4-2. His undefeated run in the tournament not only earned him a whopping $526,480 but also made him the second-youngest player ever to claim the title, following in the footsteps of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, with being the third-youngest.
Remarkably, he began the event ranked No. 145 in the world, making him the lowest-ranked champion in its history.
Reflecting on his performance, Fonseca admitted, “I think I was another Joao” after the opening set, revealing his surprise at his own resilience in the desisive rounds.
“I was really nervous before the match. I knew it was going to be difficult.”
Tien, with his sharp angles and consistent play, had emerged as a dark horse to reach the finals, growing in confidence and skill throughout the week. Despite having faced Fonseca previously in the round-robin stages, where the Brazilian swept him aside, Tien came out firing, catching the South American off-guard as he swung into action.
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