Joao Fonseca makes comment about Roger Federer after winning his first ever ATP 500 title

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As Joao Fonseca’s first full season on the ATP Tour approached its end, he clinched the biggest title of his career so far.

Fonseca won a maiden ATP 500 title at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final to hold the trophy aloft.

The Brazilian became the first from his country to claim a tour-level crown above ATP 250 level since Gustavo Kuerten’s Masters triumph at the Cincinnati Open in 2001.

At 19 years and 60 days of age, he also became the youngest South American to win titles on multiple surfaces in a single season, surpassing Argentinian tennis great Juan Martin Del Potro, who achieved the feat aged 19 years and 315 days.

Now ranked 28th in the world, Fonseca will enter the Paris Masters seeking to record a perfect ending to his debut trip around the tour, which he says has been an ’emotional’ one.

Joao Fonseca assesses his 2025 season on the ATP Tour

Speaking to the media after his triumph in Basel, the young star said: “It’s very special, and even more so here in a tournament that in Brazil we call Roger’s home. Roger’s tournament.”

Roger Federer won the Swiss Indoors a record ten times throughout his career, three-peating at the tournament on two separate occasions.

“Roger is my idol, which makes it even more special. It’s a tournament that I have wanted to play in since I was a kid. Switzerland is a super cool place.

“When you’re playing at this level more and more, you’re getting into it now. You’re playing in these increasingly bigger tournaments and the players are getting more difficult.

“It’s getting harder to get good results, so having these consistencies after a very… I would not say up-and-down year, but some downs, and I kept fighting, and kept working.

“Obviously, it is my first year playing in the big tournaments. A very emotional year. It’s a year of very important titles for me.

“I’m happy to be closing the year with a flourish. My last goal was to be top 32 by the Australian Open.”

Joao Fonseca’s first full season on the ATP Tour by the numbers

In 2025, Fonseca has tallied a record of 25 victories and 15 losses at ATP level, while collecting a total of $1,705,781 (US dollars) in prize money.

Fonseca has won two ATP titles, the first of which came at the Argentina Open in February, where he battled past home hope Francisco Cerundolo in the final to secure the trophy.

He also won a Challenger Tour title in March, beating the likes of Kei Nishikori and Alexander Bublik in Phoenix en route to the championship.

At Grand Slams, Fonseca has won six matches and recorded his best finishes at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, where he reached the third round.

• Australian Open – Second round, lost to Lorenzo Sonego
• Roland Garros – Third round, lost to Jack Draper
• Wimbledon – Third round, lost to Nicolas Jarry
• US Open – Second round, lost to Tomas Machac

In the six Masters 1000 events he has competed in, Fonseca has picked up seven wins, with his best campaigns coming at the Miami Open, and the Cincinnati Open, having advanced to round three at both.

Fonseca was 113th in the world in January, and now, his ranking of 28 can see him seeded for Grand Slams.