Joao Fonseca, the 18-year-old Brazilian sensation, fought back from a first-set tiebreak loss at the Miami Open to edge out 19-year-old Learner Tien, winning 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4 and booking his place in the second round. The victory marks the 3rd time Fonseca has beaten Tien, including a showdown in the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals final.
Embed from Getty ImagesFonseca got off to a blistering start by breaking Tien early, racing to a 2-0 lead. However, the momentum shifted when Tien began to apply pressure, turning Fonseca’s early break chances into his own peril as the set slipped into a tiebreak. In the decider, Tien capitalised on a double fault from Fonseca, surging ahead to close it out 7-6[7-1].
The 2nd set saw a tighter battle. Fonseca, undeterred by his earlier hiccup, capitalised on crucial break points in the fourth game. His persistence paid off as he built a 4-1 lead in just over 20 minutes. While Tien held his serve throughout most of the set, Fonseca’s precision, even down to saving a break point with an ace, saw him win the set 6-3.
Matters grew more intense in the 3rd set. Amid a raucous crowd—buoyed by passionate Brazilian supporters in yellow and green—Fonseca harnessed the energy and pushed ahead. At one point, with the score at 3-2 and about to serve, Fonseca called for a medical timeout after appearing suddenly pale and mentioning dizziness. He was seen asking for a trash bag and receiving antacids from his trainer. Despite this unexpected scare and a brief moment where he tweaked his leg during a rally, Fonseca managed to maintain his composure, holding serve and ultimately clinching the final set 6-4.
Looking ahead, Fonseca will face France’s 19th seed Ugo Humbert in the next round—an opponent coming in on a first-round bye. With this win, Fonseca not only advances in Miami but also re-enters the live rankings’ top 60.
It feels as though we’re starting to witness the next exciting rivalry on the ATP Tour. As Federer/Nadal came before Alcaraz/Sinner, it appears a new pairing is about to bring us a whole lot of excitement over the coming decade.
Follow The Tennis Site on X and Facebook: @thetennissite
Follow Todd Scoullar on X: @toddscoullar
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.