João Franca Guimarães Fonseca, 18 years old, who was born in Rio de Janeiro, has gained worldwide recognition for his abilities and dedication to tennis. It is no wonder that his name has been stamped in the main headlines in recent months. Contrary to what many think, his successes and results did not come suddenly, but are consequences of many years of effort, family support and focus.
How did everything start?
Since he was a child, João has always been a sports practitioner. Climbing, soccer, swimming and surfing were some examples of activities that occupied his time. In 2017, he switched his boots for a racket, giving focus to tennis and leaving other modalities as a hobby. From then on, his prominence was guaranteed in competitions and minor championships. Coaches and opponents did not fail to praise his
aggressive manner and his abilities on the court.
“I started tennis to practice a sport, as a child does. At the age of 10, I went to competitions with my mother, but nothing was very serious”, says the athlete to the channel Na Qadra com Sylvio Bastos.
“At the age of 12, I changed coaches, and everything started to become more professional”.
Thus, at the age of 13, the athlete had already embarked to Europe. That was when João realized that he wanted to pursue tennis as a professional career.
Championships and recognition
In 2022, in the Youth Championship, João called some international attention because he was runner-up in youth doubles at the Australian Open. In September 2024, his victory against the United States in the Davis Cup meant a lot to the athlete.
Davis Cup is the biggest international tennis tournament. And the pressure didn’t help when he, as a representative of Brazil, was at a disadvantage.
The Next Gen Finals ATP Tournament was another stage for the young man to shine. Rounding up the top eight 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 granted him a place in the Grand Slam main draw (set of most important competitions in the world circuit).
However, the Brazilian was eliminated from the Miami Open in March 2025 in the third round. He was defeated by the Australian De Minaur, who was impressed by the number of Brazilians attending the game.
Future
João says that his dream is to be number one in the world.
His idol is Gustavo Kuerten, a 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 this is where I want to be: number one in the world”, said the carioca (someone born in Rio de Janeiro), who admits feeling homesick every time he is away from home for a long period.
EDUARDA DE NADAI GENERATO
Journalist