Fonseca, the youngest finalist in Buenos Aires in 24 years | ATP Tour

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Fonseca, the youngest finalist in Buenos Aires in 24 years

Sunday will measure it in the match for the championship

February 15, 2025

Joao Fonseca continues to impose youth records in the ATP Tour. This Saturday at the beginning of the semifinal day of the IEB+ Argentina Open, the Brazilian of 18 years and five months has become the youngest finalist in the tournament since the Argentine José Acacus The 2001 edition.

All thanks to his triumph over the Serbian Laslo Djere with partials of 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1 in two hours and 36 minutes. He is now a victory of being the youngest champion of the tournament, as well as the first of his country from Gustavo Kuerten, precisely the winner of the edition of 24 years ago when beating in the match for the championship.

The Brazilian arrived at this event with just 22 games played in the circuit (12-10 record), but his inexperience has not been evidenced. In addition to defeating the local Mariano Navone saving multiple match points, No. 99 of the PIF ATP Rankings knew how to waste a 5-3 advantage in the second set and a match point in 5-4 to the rest.

This boy is special 👏

After beating Djere, Joao Fonseca will play his 1st final at the ATP Tour 🔥@Argentinaopen | #ArgOpen2025 pic.twitter.com/08vFNCGEYR

– ATP Tour en Español (@atppour_es) February 15, 2025

He could cost him even the game. So much so that he faced a 15/40 with his service in the initial game of the decisive one, but after saving him he dominated without problem against No. 112 of the world, who came from the previous phase. Now he is a triumph of being the youngest champion of the circuit from Carlos Alcaraz, with 18 years and two months, in UMAG 2021.

This result also drives it to No. 74 of the live ranking, guaranteeing a better ranking on Monday after the contest. A jump of huge dimensions considering that just a year ago I was outside the Top 600.

Win the final, before Francisco Cerúando, he would raise it to No. 68 of the world ranking.

Closing it classifies its sixth title
The fifth standard head, finalist of this event in 2021, has once again seal his ticket to the match for the championship in his home tournament by playing one of his most prolixing games of the week. He needed just an hour and 33 minutes to defeat the Spanish Pedro Martínez with partials of 6-2, 6-4.

A day after surprising the No. 2 of the PIF ATP Rankings, the German Alexander Zverev, the world No. 28 saved the seven Break Points that faced the serve, two taking out for set in the initial one, one in his first turn of of the second partial and four in the final 4-3.

In addition, he broke three opportunities to leave his lexus ATP Headtohead in 2-1 with the current No. 41 of the world, who had defeated him in the most recent duel between the two played in Hamburg 2024.

This result elevates it to No. 26 of the live ranking and a triumph would make him return to Top 25 and raise his fourth title in the circuit after the cattle in Bastad 2022, Eastbourne 2023 and UMAG 2024.