Fonseca, prepared to shine at the ATP Rio: "I feel confident"

Pedro de Pablos | 17 Feb 2026 | 07.30

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Last week, Joao Fonseca suffered one of the toughest defeats of his career in the first round of the Buenos Aires ATP 250, where he was defending the title he won last year. However, a week later, he will have the chance to redeem himself at home, in the Rio de Janeiro ATP 500. In an interview with the ATP, the Brazilian tennis player has revealed that he is more than ready to achieve a good result.

It's worth noting that in 2025, Fonseca lost in the first round to Alexandre Muller, so this year he could accumulate a good amount of points if he performs well. After overcoming his back issues, Joao has disclosed that he arrives with a lot of confidence and eager to turn around his tough situation since he is still winless in 2026. Both at the Australian Open and the ATP in Buenos Aires, the Brazilian tennis player exited in the early stages, something he has taken philosophically.

"I feel good. I am now one hundred percent physically. I had some trouble with my lower back at the beginning of the year, but now I am one hundred percent and I feel great again on the court. Physically, I'm fine," he acknowledged. In fact, he already claimed to be in good shape last week; it's just that Alejandro Tabilo displayed a great level of tennis to defeat him in three sets after a battle where either could have emerged victorious.

Fonseca explains his defeat against Tabilo in Buenos Aires

"It was a very close match in Buenos Aires against a very good player. I think the opportunity to play a week as the defending champion was great. Right now, I'm thinking about positive things. It was my first time, and of course, I had a bit more pressure, but I think I handled it quite well. I believe my opponent played very well. There are things to work on, of course, but I feel confident for this week," continued the 19-year-old tennis player.

The center court is expected to be a pressure cooker every time Fonseca steps on, which will be a key factor beyond the conditions of a different court from Buenos Aires. "The most different thing is the weather compared to Europe. It's hotter here with more humidity, and I think the fans are very important. It's part of the culture of Argentina and Brazil, perhaps because of football. They cheer a lot. Sometimes it's too much! But I think it's a great atmosphere, and that's the best thing about South America. The courts are quite similar. Buenos Aires resembles the European ones more, and here the ball goes a bit slower, but it's also good," he concluded

This afternoon, Fonseca will debut against his compatriot Thiago Monteiro with the intention of showcasing his best tennis and regaining lost ground in the rankings. It remains to be seen how he copes with the pressure to avoid a repeat of last year or Buenos Aires, but it's something he will have to get used to if he wants to reach the top, as he has mentioned in several interviews. A single victory could give him the necessary push for things to fall back into place.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fonseca, preparado para brillar en el ATP Río: "Me siento con confianza"