Fonseca ignites Rio with season’s first victory

Under Rio de Janeiro’s humid night sky, Joao Fonseca gripped his racket tighter, the clay beneath his feet a familiar ally after months of frustration. The 19-year-old Brazilian, sidelined by injury and plagued by early defeats, faced countryman Thiago Monteiro in the opening round of the Rio Open presented by Claro. What emerged was a 7-6(1), 6-1 rout in one hour and 24 minutes, his first triumph since the new year dawned, fueled by a serve that silenced doubts and a crowd that roared like thunder.

Serve seals a tense opener

Fonseca’s delivery dominated from the baseline, landing seven aces that Monteiro could only watch sail past. He converted 84 percent of his first-serve points—36 out of 43, ATP Stats show—never once facing a break opportunity. In the tie-break, two aces pierced the pressure, his heavy topspin kicking up red dust to force errors on returns.

This was their maiden ATP head-to-head, and Fonseca exploited the slow surface with inside-out forehands that stretched the court wide. Monteiro, a grinder on Brazilian clay, struggled to find rhythm against the precision, his crosscourt replies landing short under the weight of the home support. The first set’s momentum shifted decisively, setting a tone of control that carried forward.

Home energy powers the surge

Buoyed by the boisterous stands, Fonseca transitioned seamlessly into the second set, his slice backhands disrupting Monteiro’s baseline flow. The crowd’s chants amplified every point, turning the match into a shared pulse where doubt gave way to dominance. He dictated with one–two patterns, serve followed by deep approaches that pinned his opponent deep and invited mistakes.

At 19, with rankings on the line post-injury, this victory rebuilds his path, blending power with tactical patience suited to Rio’s gripping dirt. Next, Ignacio Buse looms in the second round, a qualifier whose flat shots could probe any lingering rust on these courts. Fonseca’s form hints at a deeper run, where home advantage sharpens his edge against the draw’s unpredictability.

Upsets ripple across the draw

Matteo Berrettini grinded through a 7-6(1), 7-5 battle against Tomas Barrios Vera, breaking only in the final game after two hours and 25 minutes of clay-court tension. His heavy groundstrokes tested the Chilean in extended rallies, down-the-line backhands slicing through the air to hold firm. This survival act echoes the tournament’s gritty early tests.

Argentines Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Juan Manuel Cerundolo advanced too, injecting South American fire into the mix. Etcheverry outlasted Francisco Comesana 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, his crosscourt loops varying pace to reclaim control in the decider. Cerundolo stunned second-seeded Luciano Darderi 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, mirroring his brother Francisco Cerundolo‘s Buenos Aires final win over the same foe two days prior.

These results thicken the draw’s clay specialist battles, where underdogs thrive on tactical tweaks and regional depth. As Fonseca builds on his breakthrough, the Joao Fonseca story at the Thiago Monteiro matchup signals more redemptions ahead, the Rio Open humming with potential twists on its vibrant courts.