"It's an injury that never fully disappears": Concern for Joao Fonseca as back injury rears head again in Buenos Aires

Friday, 13 February 2026 at 07:30

Fonseca won his first ATP title at Argentina Open

Joao Fonseca won the ATP 250 at the Argentina Open last year but he returned to the city and was left heartbroken in a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 loss to Alejandro Tabilo. It marked his third consecutive loss with major concerns about his physical health.

A lower back injury affected Fonseca at the end of last season and there were signs this remained an issue. He withdrew from Brisbane and Adelaide and lost to Eliot Spizzirri, a rising star but not on Fonseca's status yet in Australia.

He said today somewhat concerningly that his body wasn't moving the way he wanted to and that his body wasn't helping him do what he needed to as he fell at the Argentina Open. “If I say no, I’d be lying, so yes, I certainly felt a bit more pressure,” the 2025 champion said according to Punto De Break.

Read also

“I felt tense from the beginning of the match. I tried to bring intensity, motivation, eagerness, even sought support from the crowd, but it wasn’t my day. There was a lack of conviction and confidence…”

“I tried everything to motivate myself,” he added. “I was p**** off with my legs, which weren’t moving the way they needed to. My body wasn’t helping me hit the good shots I wanted.”

Concern over injury

He has previously alluded to the issue and said he wasn't sure if he'd be 100% ever again and that he feels pain some days more than others.

“I was born with a back problem and suffered a stress fracture five years ago,” he told Brazilian press last month. “Some days I feel more pain than others. It’s an injury that never fully disappears, but one I have to learn to manage day to day.

“Over the last few days, I’ve felt like I was improving a bit, but it’s hard to say if I’ll be at 100 percent.”

Joao Fonseca received the Cup for winning the Swiss Indoors

Joao Fonseca wins the Swiss Indoors

But while he said this, his team did say it would be sorted and that it was suffered as a teenager and they are managing the injury as a result. “João has a straightened spine and suffered a stress fracture five years ago, when he was still a juvenile. Thus, the lower back is the most sensitive area of his body and, because he is a high-performance athlete, it requires constant care,” says a statement as per Globo Sports.

“Soon, João will be back to the tournaments, 100 percent recovered. The mentality of the team is always to preserve the athlete’s health, aiming for a long-term career.”

As a result, Fonseca has tempered his own expectations on his career amid chatter that he will be the new Gustavo Kuerten or Carlos Alcaraz of the modern day and rival him and Jannik SInner.

“They say ‘Joao is going to be the next Guga, the next Alcaraz’, I’m writing my own story and doing everything at my own pace,” Fonseca said. “What I can do on my part is work really hard on my mentality and my physique.”

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

"Indian Wells starts around March 5th or 6th, and then Miami follows": Serena Williams comeback could happen sooner rather than later as Petkovic and Petchey speculate

WTA Qatar Open Quarter-Finals Round-up | Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina suffer surprising defeats as Mboko and Sakkari impress in dramatic matchups