Joao Fonseca beat Learner Tien 4-0 4-0 1-4 4-2 in 1 hour and 5 minutes in a re-match of the 2023 US Open Junior final improving to 2-0 in Blue Group at the Next Gen ATP Finals. The Brazilian 18-year-old rising star, who had beaten top seed and World number 20 Arthur Fils in the first match, secured his spot in the semifinals.
Fonseca earned two breaks to close out the first set 4-0 in just 13 minutes with an ace. It took another 13 minutes to close out the second set with the same score thanks to two breaks of serve.
Tien got himself on the scoreboard at the start of the third set before earning his first break to love in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The US player saved four set points to hold serve on the deciding point and took the third set 4-1.
Fonseca closed out the fourth set 4-2 with a break in the sixth game.
Tien will take on Arthur Fils on Friday in a winner-takes all match to decide the second semifinalist from the Blue Group.
Fonseca won 69 minutes on his second serve return points.
Fonseca becomes the second youngest semifinalist in the history of the Next Gen Finals history, only one month younger than 2019 champion Jannik Sinner. Fonseca will take on Jakob Mensik in the third round-robin match. Fonseca started the season at world number 710 and is now ranked world number 145. He became the second youngest ATP 500 quarter finalist since the series bagan in 2009.
“I think one of the things I most improved this year was maturity. In these big stadiums, big matches, I have obviously been nervous, but I think I adapted very good today. The way that I played better. He started playing more solid, but I improved my consistency and focus and I got the win”, said Fonseca.
