Youth US Open champion, João Fonseca wants to face professionals – 09/12/2023 – Sport

João Fonseca’s victory in the US Open for youth was, apparently, his last competition in the category. The 17-year-old from Rio, still celebrating after winning the Grand Slam, decided that the time had come to complete the transition to the professional level championships.

“I believe my youth career is over,” said Fonseca, before joining the Brazil squad that will face Denmark in the Davis Cup next weekend.

The young Brazilian tennis player said that the victory in the Grand Slam over the American Learner Tien, a result that gave him first place in the youth ranking, represents the realization of a dream and increases his confidence to take the final step towards the adult game . He currently occupies position number 656 in the ATP (Tennis Professionals Association) rankings.

“After everything happened, I couldn’t quite believe it. I don’t even have words, I’m super emotional, but it’s not over yet. I want more,” said Fonseca.

The boy’s expectation, until the tournament in the United States, was to continue alternating between youth and professional tournaments. But the triumph changed his perspective.

Now, to withstand more developed opponents, he has made it a priority to improve his physical aspect. According to the Brazilian prospect, having gained muscle strength in recent years already helps him have more resistance during matches, also helping with the mental part of the game.

In the final of the US Open youth, playing against the crowd that supported the home tennis player, Fonseca came from behind, with a 6/4 defeat in the first set. He, however, had the strength to recover and turn the match around in the following splits: 6/4 and 6/3.

“It was one of the toughest matches of my life, not only because it was a final but because [Learner Tien] be a great player.”

With the achievement, Fonseca became the third Brazilian to win a youth Grand Slam. Thiago Wild won the same tournament in 2018, and Tiago Fernandes won the Australian Open in 2010.

Swiss Roger Federer, former number one who retired at the end of last year, was named by Fonseca as his biggest inspiration in the world of tennis, due to his style of play and the ease with which he hit the ball.

In March this year, the Brazilian signed a sponsorship contract with the sports brand On, which has Federer as one of the partners. The Polish Iga Swiatek (number 2 in the world ranking) and the young North American Ben Shelton (19 in the world) are also sponsored by the brand.

“I haven’t met Federer yet, but he’s always been an idol for me,” said Fonseca, who doesn’t rule out joining a university in the United States in the middle of next year. In this case, he would return for a few months to face young people in university sports before stopping his enrollment — he is interested in the area of ​​business and finance — and dedicating himself exclusively to the professional game.