João Fonseca: An Enthusiastic Debutant

The Brazilian teenager makes his Laver Cup debut with Team World, weeks after reaching a career high ranking of No. 42. The powerful right-hander will establish new bonds with his teammates as Captain Andre Agassi’s men strive to secure victory at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

How it’s going
Since clinching the Next Gen ATP Finals title in December, the teenage sensation has exploded onto the scene in 2025, packing stands with fans eager to glimpse the sport’s brightest new star. After beginning the season in Canberra, ranked 145, where he captured an ATP Challenger Tour crown, Fonseca qualified for his first Australian Open and stunned ninth seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the first round.

Fonseca, then 18, clinched his maiden ATP Tour title at the Argentina Open in February, becoming the youngest South American ATP champion since 1987 — almost two decades before he was born. The Brazilian secured another Challenger title in March in Phoenix and competed in the men’s main draw at Roland Garros for the first time, where he reached the third round after toppling 30th seed Hubert Hurkacz in the opening round.

Weeks later, Fonseca similarly progressed to the third round at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. “I’m very proud of myself,” Fonseca said at Wimbledon, acknowledging that his mentality improved during his tenure on the men’s tour.  More recently, at the US Open, where he won the boys’ singles title in 2023, Fonseca fell in the second round to 21st seed Tomas Machac. “There is a goal for me to be [a] seeded player in the next Grand Slams,” said the ambitious teen.

Motivation to play Laver Cup
Laver Cup is “an amazing opportunity to be around great players, great captains,” said Fonseca, who stands to gain invaluable experience from practicing with and competing against many of the world’s best. “I’m going to love it for sure,” said the Rio de Janeiro resident, adding that he’s excited to build a rapport with South American Francisco Cerundolo and the American contingent of Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka and Alex Michelsen.

Fonseca said he’s interested in learning how his teammates prepare for matches, and is looking forward to a new environment with shared camaraderie.

“Playing tennis is an individual game and when do you have this opportunity to play as a team?” he pondered. “Laver Cup will be super nice to cheer for each other,” Fonseca said, recognizing that while on the bench, he’ll get a taste of the tension his parents and coach feel when they watch him. “Hopefully, Laver Cup will teach me a lot,” he added. The prospect of working with first-time CaptainAgassi is a massive drawcard. “I love his journey and the way that he played was super nice,” said Fonseca, who has been reading Open, the famed memoir of the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

Away from Team World, there’s a Team Europe alum that Fonseca hopes to meet: Laver Cup co-creator Roger Federer. “Roger’s my idol,” he said, recalling watching the Swiss legend’s retirement during the London 2022 edition, including a poignant moment shared with longtime rival and friend Rafael Nadal. “It’s a great memory,” said Fonseca.

Looking ahead to San Francisco
In February, Fonseca defeated Cerundolo in the pair’s career-first meeting to earn a maiden title in Buenos Aires. But at Laver Cup, where rivals become teammates, Fonseca is hopeful the duo will get a chance to compete on the same side of the net.

“Hopefully we can play doubles with each other,” said Fonseca, who greets Cerundolo in Spanish in player lounges and locker rooms across the globe. As for who on Team Europe he’d like to battle?

“I love playing with the best,” said Fonseca. “Carlos [Alcaraz] or Sascha [Zverev] would be super,” added the right-hander, who has not faced either in his young career. “If Andre picked me for anyone, I’ll be ready.”

Regardless of who is competing on the iconic black court, the 19-year-old hopes vocal Brazilian fans will amplify the American crowd’s cheers for Team World pursuing a third Laver Cup title. “I’m going to bring a great vibe and hopefully, great tennis that will help them to take this trophy.”