In a remarkable achievement, 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca clinched victory at the Argentina Open, defeating Francisco Cerundolo in the final on Sunday, becoming one of the youngest champions in ATP Tour history.
The world number 99, participating in his first tour-level final, secured a 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) win against the 28th-ranked Cerundolo.
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Despite facing challenges whilst serving for the match twice, Fonseca recovered brilliantly to secure the win in the tie-break amidst enthusiastic spectators in Buenos Aires.
The 2024 ATP NextGen champion has set a record as the youngest South American male to secure a tour title, with his victory ensuring a rise to world number 68 in Monday's rankings.
"Unbelievable week, even in Argentina there are some Brazilians cheering for me," Fonseca said on court. "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."
He continued: "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."
Cerundolo, who was aiming for his fourth career title, lost his service in the seventh game of the opening set. He managed to thwart Fonseca when the young Brazilian served for victory at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second set.
The Brazilian displayed exceptional composure in the tie-break, celebrating his victory by dropping to the clay court in elation.
Fonseca's path to the final was challenging, notably saving two match points against Mariano Navone in Friday's quarter-finals, in a contest lasting nearly three hours.
His journey to the trophy involved victories over four Argentinian competitors.
