Joao Fonseca wished for a deep run on the house ATP 500 occasion in Rio. The younger gun claimed his first ATP title final 12 months however couldn’t repeat something comparable in entrance of the house followers. Joao fell to Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-6 within the first spherical.
The Frenchman outplayed the Brazilian within the first set and prevailed within the second to seal the deal and transfer excessive. Muller praised Fonseca and known as him the long run legend of our sport. He will even inform his children about this victory!
Alexandre sealed the deal in an hour and 32 minutes after a rock-solid efficiency. The extra skilled participant misplaced 17 factors in his video games and defended each break factors to mount the stress on the opposite aspect.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 19, 2025
The Frenchman dropped 17 factors behind the preliminary shot and defended each break factors. The Brazilian couldn’t comply with that tempo after struggling in his video games and spraying too many errors. The 18-year-old confronted ten break factors and gave serve away two occasions.
Joao Fonseca, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
He fought nicely in set quantity two however didn’t pressure a decider. Muller tamed his strokes properly and welcomed over 30 unforced errors from the opposite aspect. Joao wasted a break probability within the first recreation of the match and obtained damaged at love in recreation two after the rival’s forehand winner.
The 18-year-old missed a forehand within the fourth recreation and fell 4-0 behind. The house star held in recreation six and created a break probability within the subsequent one. He missed a forehand and allowed Muller to wrap up the opener 6-1 with a service winner after 28 minutes.
Alexandre Muller, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
An adolescent saved three break factors within the first recreation of the second set and ended his downfall. Fonseca erased two extra break factors within the third recreation, giving every thing to remain in contact. The house favourite confronted one other break level at 4-4.
He saved it with a compelled error and prolonged his probabilities after a service winner. They served nicely within the subsequent three video games and launched a tie break. Alexandre landed a return winner within the first level earlier than spraying a forehand error at 2-0.
Fonseca hit a double fault at 2-2 and located himself 5-2 down. The house star responded with two backhand winner, climbing again to 4-5. Joao had an opportunity to erase the deficit within the tenth level however sprayed a backhand error and confronted two match factors.
Joao Fonseca, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
Muller transformed the primary, sealing the deal in type and shifting excessive.
“I feel sorry for the tournament and and fans. Joao is a superstar here, but I wanted to win. Joao will return and conquer the event for many years. One day I will tell my children I beat Joao Fonseca on the center court in Rio de Janeiro.
He will be a legend of the sport,” Alexandre Muller mentioned.
