Fonseca's meteoric rise continues: youngest South American ATP finalist since 2007

Joao Fonseca made history at the Argentina Open, as after defeating Mariano Navone, he became the youngest South American player to reach an ATP final since Juan Martín del Potro in 2007. He is also the youngest Brazilian ever to achieve this milestone.

Fonseca’s meteoric rise has taken the tennis world by surprise. At just 18 years old, he has showcased his immense talent throughout the Argentina Open, where he now finds himself in the final, aiming for his first ATP title.

To reach the semi-finals and become the youngest South American to do so since Del Potro, Fonseca had to battle past local player Mariano Navone in a grueling match, winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in 2 hours and 53 minutes. The young Brazilian even saved two match points along the way.

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In the semi-finals, Fonseca overcame experienced Serbian Laslo Djere in three sets, further proving that his game is built for big moments. Now, he will face Francisco Cerúndolo, the tournament’s 5th seed and Argentina’s biggest hope, who is chasing his first ATP 500 title. Cerúndolo has been dominant this week, eliminating top seed Alexander Zverev and Spaniard Pedro Martínez.

Fonseca will face a tough challenge in the final, especially with the passionate Argentine crowd backing the local favorite. The home fans have already drawn complaints from Zverev and Rune, who felt they were not shown enough respect.

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Nevertheless, Fonseca has already beaten three Argentine opponents this week and will have another chance to prove his potential. Regardless of the outcome, he has secured a career-high ranking of World No. 74 and could break into the top 70 with the title.

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