João Fonseca: the life story that has been winning hearts around the world

João Franca Guimarães Fonseca, 18 years old, born in Rio de Janeiro, has gained worldwide recognition for his skills and dedication to tennis. It is no surprise that his name has been making headlines in recent months. Contrary to what many think, his successes and results did not come out of nowhere, but are the result of many years of effort, family support, and focus.How did it all begin?Since childhood, João has always been involved in sports. Climbing, soccer, swimming, and surfing were some examples of activities that occupied his time. In 2017, he traded his soccer cleats for a racket, focusing on tennis and leaving other sports as hobbies. From then on, his prominence in competitions and smaller tournaments was assured. Coaches and opponents did not hesitate to praise his aggressive style and skills on the court.”I started playing tennis to practice a sport, like a child does. At 10 years old, I went to competitions with my mother, but nothing was very serious,” says the athlete to the channel Na Qadra with Sylvio Bastos. “At 12, I changed coaches, and everything started to become more professional.”Thus, at 13, the athlete had already embarked for Europe. That was when João realized he wanted to pursue tennis as a professional career.Tournaments and recognitionIn 2022, at the Junior Championship, João caught international attention by being the runner-up in the junior doubles at the Australian Open. In September 2024, his victory against the United States in the Davis Cup meant a lot to the athlete.The Davis Cup is the largest international tennis tournament. And the pressure did not help when he, as Brazil’s representative, was at a disadvantage.The Next Gen Finals ATP Tournament was another stage for the young star to shine. Gathering the eight best U20 players of the men’s tennis season, the tournament was won by João, who became the first South American to lift this trophy.This year, João won the Canberra Challenger in Australia and three matches that secured him a spot in the main draw of the Grand Slams (the set of the most important competitions on the world circuit).However, the Brazilian was eliminated from the Miami Open in March 2025 in the third round. He was defeated by Australian De Minaur, who was impressed by the number of Brazilians present at the match.FutureJoão says that his dream is to be number one in the world.His idol is Gustavo Kuerten, former Brazilian tennis player.”Guga is a great inspiration, not only in tennis but in other sports, and he has a lot of charisma, joy, and that is what I want to be: number one in the world,” said the carioca (someone born in Rio de Janeiro), who admits to feeling homesick every time he is away from home for a long period.EDUARDA DE NADAI GENERATOJournalist