Joao Fonseca wins his third Challenger title in Phoenix

Joao Fonseca claimed his third Challenger title on the Arizona Tennis Basic in Phoenix. The 18-year-old confronted Alexander Bublik within the title conflict and earned a hard-fought 7-6, 7-6 victory in an hour and 43 minutes.

Fonseca is 23-4 in 2025, climbing via the ATP rating listing and cracking the top-60 after claiming 175 ATP factors in Phoenix. The Brazilian claimed 12 factors greater than the Kazakh and prevailed within the pivotal moments.

Joa made the distinction behind the second serve, dealing with 4 break factors and getting damaged two occasions. Bublik needed to dig deep in his video games, defending 9 of 11 break factors and remaining aggressive till the tie breaks.

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 16, 2025

They served effectively within the opening six video games of the duel, with Fonseca firing a forehand winner and locking the end result at 3-3. Bublik squandered two sport factors in sport seven and acquired damaged after a free drop shot that despatched the younger gun in entrance.

Alexander secured the ninth sport with a forehand winner and made a push on the return at 4-5. The Kazakh painted a forehand crosscourt winner for a break level and drew the rival’s mistake with a volley assault to tug the break again and stage the rating at 5-5.

Joao Fonseca & Alexander Bublik, 2025 Phoenix Challenger© Stream screenshot

Joao left that setback behind and landed a forehand winner in sport 11 for an additional break, serving for the set for the second time. The younger gun generated three set factors at 6-5 and squandered them, permitting his rival to interrupt again with a backhand down the road return winner.

The servers claimed the opening eight factors of the tie break. Fonseca moved 5-4 up with a backhand down the road winner earlier than lacking a forehand within the subsequent one. Joao landed a service winner for 6-5 and transformed a set level after Alexander’s volley error.

Joao Fonseca, 2025 Phoenix Challenger© Stream screenshot

The Brazilian wrapped up the primary a part of the duel in 49 minutes and gained confidence. Bublik needed to dig deep within the fourth sport of the second set. The extra skilled participant denied 4 break factors and remained on the constructive facet.

The Kazakh saved one other break likelihood in sport eight with a artful volley winner earlier than dealing with the last word check at 4-5. Bublik performed towards two match factors and denied them with booming serves earlier than holding for 5-5 and extra drama.

Joao performed towards two break factors within the eleventh sport and denied them with winners. He created the third match level on the return at 6-5, and Alexander saved it with a service winner for extra drama. Fonseca made a powerful begin within the tie break.

He landed a forehand winner for 3-0 and hit two booming serves for a 5-0 benefit. An adolescent painted a forehand winner for a 6-0 lead and 6 match factors. He transformed the primary after Bublik’s volley mistake, celebrating his second Challenger title of the season.