The house star Joao Fonseca did not make an impression on the ATP 500 occasion in Rio. The 18-year-old competed in entrance of the house followers two days after lifting his first ATP trophy in Buenos Aires. The Brazilian failed to increase the successful streak following a 6-1, 7-6 loss to Alexandre Muller.
The Frenchman sealed the deal in an hour and 32 minutes, dominating the opener and prevailing in set quantity two to convey the victory residence. Muller defended his second serve properly and misplaced solely 17 factors behind the preliminary shot.
Alexandre defended each break factors and stored the strain on the opposite facet. Joao struggled behind the second serve and confronted ten break factors. He defended eight and fought nicely in set quantity two earlier than shedding it within the tie break.
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 19, 2025
Alexandre tamed his strokes properly and hit 16 winners and 14 unforced errors. Fonseca landed 23 winners however at the price of too many errors, lacking from each wings and accumulating 34 unforced errors. Muller hit extra service winners and had the higher hand from the baseline.
Alexandre confronted a break level within the first sport of the match and saved it with a service winner to keep away from an early setback. The Frenchman made a push on the return in sport two and landed a forehand down the road winner for a break at love and a 2-0 lead.
Joao Fonseca & Alexandre Muller, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
Muller cemented it with a maintain at love in sport three and stepped in on the return at 3-0. The house star sprayed one other forehand error, dropping serve for the second straight time and falling 4-0 behind. Alexandre landed a service winner in sport 5 for a maintain at love and a 5-0 lead.
The Frenchman served for the opener at 5-1 and missed two set factors. He confronted the primary break level after a lob error on the internet. Fonseca missed a routine forehand and squandered an opportunity to cut back the hole. Muller transformed the third set level with a service winner for 6-1 in 28 minutes.
Joao Fonseca, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
Joao nonetheless struggled behind the preliminary shot and confronted three break factors within the first sport of the second set. He denied them and held to keep away from an early setback. A teen needed to work laborious behind the preliminary shot at 1-1. He saved two break factors with service winner and held for 2-1.
They served nicely within the subsequent 5 video games and locked the end result at 4-4. Fonseca performed in opposition to a break level in sport 9 and denied it after an prolonged rally and a compelled error. The younger gun held with a robust serve, opening a 5-4 lead and preserving his possibilities alive.
Alexandre Muller, Rio 2025© Stream screenshot
The servers produced three high quality holds and launched a tie break. Muller landed a return winner within the first level for 1-0. He missed a volley within the third level and returned his rival to the constructive facet. A teen sprayed a double fault at 2-2 to fall behind.
Alexandre claimed two factors on serve and opened a 5-2 lead with a service winner. Fonseca landed two backhand down the road winners, returning the deficit to 5-4. Nonetheless, he missed an open backhand within the tenth level and confronted two match factors.
The Frenchman transformed the primary match level, sealing the deal and transferring into the final 16.
