Just over a year ago, João Fonseca arrived in Buenos Aires as a promising talent in Brazilian tennis and left as the youngest ATP champion in Buenos Aires history. Now he’s trying something that almost no one achieves at his age: defending a professional circuit title.

The Brazilian tennis player has changed quite a bit since then. He left behind that look with long, curly hair; now he appears more mature, with short hair and a well-groomed mustache. But at 19 years old, Fonseca maintains that freshness that characterizes him. What happened in the past year was intense: two ATP titles (besides Buenos Aires, the Basel 500), 26 wins, a Grand Slam debut where he beat Rublev, and a surge in popularity in Rio de Janeiro that changed his life.

During a chat at the Buenos Aires club, Fonseca was clear about what all this means. "A lot has happened this year. The explosion started at the Next Gen, then in 2025 I won a Challenger, then Australia, and I arrived here very confident," he explained. The interesting part is how the player processes the pressure. "I know I’m still young, but I can’t have a young mentality," he said with a smile.

Adapting to the ATP circuit was harder than it seems from the outside. "I went straight from juniors to professionals, played few Futures, few Challengers. The level change was very quick," he acknowledged. It wasn’t just mental; physically, it also demanded a lot. Now, after a back injury that kept him out of some tournaments earlier this year, Fonseca says he’s recovered and focused on what’s next.

What stands out is how he keeps his feet on the ground. His team surrounds him well: Guilherme Teixeira as coach since he was 12, and recently they added Franco Davin and Marcelo Albamonte. "Franco won everything with Delpo and has two Grand Slams as a coach. It’s very good to know we have this trust," he valued.

His popularity is real. In Brazil, especially in Rio, tennis has regained an important place in conversations. Fonseca is aware of this. "It’s a pride to see more and more young people playing tennis. That’s very good for Brazil," he expressed. But he also knows expectations are huge. He’s not Alcaraz or Sinner, and he admits it. "I owe nothing to anyone. I think about myself, my work, my life," he clarified.

This year, defending a title will be a completely new challenge for him. Fonseca has already had memorable encounters: he spoke with Federer at the Laver Cup (nervous, sweaty hands, ten minutes of conversation that inspired him), he met Agassi and Rafter, and also Del Potro, who has openly supported him. All these experiences shape him.

"I am very observant. I watch what everyone does," he said. That attitude, combined with talent, is what makes following tennis with Fonseca interesting. He’s 19 years old, has a defendable ATP title, and the mental maturity of someone much older. The next chapter of this story is just beginning.