Joao Fonseca does exactly what Rafael Nadal did 10 years ago as remarkable parallels arise in historic run to Argentina Open title

Joao Fonseca recently capped off an exceptional week of tennis at the 2025 Argentina Open. He not only clinched his maiden title on tour but also tied Rafael Nadal’s 10-year-old record of defeating four Argentinians on his way to the win.

After winning the ATP Next Gen Finals last year, Fonseca has once again made a statement on tour. He outfoxed the likes of Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Laslo Djere and Francisco Cerundolo to win the Argentina Open on Sunday.

The Brazilian now shares a record with Rafael Nadal for defeating four Argentinians on his way to victory in Buenos Aires. Nadal set the same record in 2015, defeating Juan Monaco in the final.

While Nadal was already an established player at the time, Fonseca made his first appearance in the Argentina Open. He reached the quarterfinals of the Bucharest Open last year, which was his previous best record on tour.

The 18-year-old made history by becoming the youngest South American to win an ATP title since 1990. He reflected on his magical week in Buenos Aires and thanked his loyal Brazilian fans for supporting him throughout the event.

"Unbelievable week, even in Argentina there are some Brazilians cheering for me. That’s just amazing. Every Brazilian, everyone from their country wants this support from your own country. For me, this [moment] that I’m living is just unbelievable," Joao Fonseca said

The youngster also spoke about his ambitions for the future and thanked his family and sponsors for helping him in this journey.

“I want to thank my family, my friends and my sponsors for just helping me achieve my dream, which is to play tennis. Of course I want to be No. 1, of course I want to win Slams, titles, but my dream is just to play tennis, and I’m living it,” he added

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Joao Fonseca climbs 31 spots in ATP Rankings, now ranked 68th in the World

Joao Fonseca in action on the main tour - Day 5 - Source: Getty

Joao Fonseca was placed outside the top 600 in the ATP Rankings last year. He is currently among the top 70 players on tour.

Fonseca is quickly blossoming into a strong contender. After his recent win in Buenos Aires, he became the 10th youngest champion on the ATP tour. The Brazilian joined an elusive list, including the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Alcaraz and Michael Chang.

Fonseca has been a breath of fresh air this year by amassing title-winning runs in the Canberra Challenger and now the Argentina Open. He also overpowered Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open, 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-6(5).

The 18-year-old is expected to make his next appearance in the Rio Open and will take on Alexandre Muller in the first round. The duo have never faced each other before.