PARIS/ DOHA — World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz found himself trailing in the second set to Croatia’s Marin Cilic, but battled back for a 6-4, 6-4 win in the opening round at the Qatar Open.
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, also, became the 10th youngest champion in ATP Tour history when he swept past home hope Francisco Cerundolo in the final of the Argentina Open.
The 18-year-old, ranked 99 in the world and playing in his first tour-level final, came through 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) against his 28th-ranked opponent.
Fonseca twice unsuccessfully served for the match but regrouped to claim victory in the tie-break in a frenzied atmosphere in Buenos Aires, AFP reported.
The 2024 ATP champion is also the youngest male player from South America to win a tour title.
Cerundolo, seeking his fourth career title, was broken in the seventh game of the first set and fought off Fonseca when the teenager served for the trophy at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second.
However, the Brazilian impressively held his nerve in the tie-break and celebrated his triumph by collapsing in joy on the clay surface.
With Cilic — the former World No. 3 — on the verge of taking a 5-3 lead in the second set, Alcaraz rebounded while serving at 0-40 down and notched 14 of the next 19 points to seal the victory. Alcaraz, who saved five of six break points, will face World No. 7 Novak Djokovic of Croatia if both reach the semifinals.
Czech Jiri Lehecka upset No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 6-4, taking 35 of 40 first-serve points (88 per cent) and saving both break points he faced. Other first-round winners included No. 8 seed Jack Draper of Great Britain, Fabian Marozsan of Hungary and Australia’s Christopher O’Connell.
Rising tennis star Joao Fonseca, meanwhile, finished “an unbelievable tour” with a straight sets victory over Francisco Cerúndolo in the Argentina Open final to claim his first tour-level title.
The 18-year-old Brazilian, who won the Next Gen ATP Finals last December, beat his Argentine opponent 6-4, 7-6 (1) on clay.
Local fans in Buenos Aires provided a lively atmosphere at the final of the ATP 250 event which at times resembled an Argentina vs. Brazil soccer match.
“This was just an unbelievable week for me,” said Fonseca, who beat ninth-ranked Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open in January and is already looking to the future.
“Of course I want to be No. 1, of course I want to win Slams, titles,” he added according to AP, “but my dream is just to play tennis, and I am living it.”
The elite men’s tennis tour said Fonseca became the first man born in 2006 or later to win an ATP trophy, the 10th youngest champion in ATP Tour history and the youngest South American player to win a title in the Tour era (since 1990).
One of his likely rivals in the near future also spoke about Fonseca’s title in Buenos Aires.
“Impressive, Joao,” Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old, four-time major champion, posted X.
Earlier, former player and three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray used the same social media platform to boost the potential rivalry.
“Can’t wait for the first Fonseca vs Alcaraz match,” he said.
Former No.1 Boris Becker was also excited about the Brazilian’s performance: “Watch this young man from Brazil. The sky is the limit…”
