Rafael Nadal messages Joao Fonseca after he wins the Next Gen ATP Finals

Follow us on Google Discover

Joao Fonseca certainly won’t forget his Next Gen ATP Finals win in a hurry, particularly given that Rafael Nadal was in attendance.

Nadal attended his first tennis event since retiring, having called time on his career after the Davis Cup last month.

The Spanish legend finished with 92 ATP Tour titles, while he sits second in the men’s all-time Grand Slam titles list with 22.

Fonseca is only just starting out, but he already boasts a superb start with his Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.

The Brazilian went undefeated all week to become the second-youngest Next Gen winner in the history of the competition.

Rafael Nadal messages Next Gen ATP Finals winner Joao Fonseca

Fonseca, 18, beat American Learner Tien 2-4, 4-3(8), 4-0, 4-2 in the final match to earn a tournament-record $526,480 prize money.

And he has now earned the plaudits of legendary figure Nadal, who shared a photo of the pair at King Abdullah Sports City on his Instagram story with the words “Congratulations Joao”.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Rafael Nadal as the 14-time French Open winner announces retirement

The champion gave a special shoutout to the Spaniard after his win, having been asked on court how it feels to see his name alongside previous champions such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic.

“It’s just amazing,” he said. “Making great results like those guys… hopefully in the future I can be like them.

“Obviously I want to thank Rafa for being here, he’s such a legend of this sport, so it’s very meaningful for us players to be in those big stadiums with those guys watching.”

Joao Fonseca equals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz record after his Next Gen ATP Finals win

It has been a remarkable rise from Fonseca in a short period of time, having started the 2024 season outside the ATP Tour top 700.

But thanks to his success throughout the campaign, he heads into 2025 sitting 145th in the rankings after beating the likes of Arthur Fils and Jakub Mensik in Jeddah.

And with the win, the Brazilian has become the third teenager to clinch Next Gen success since its inception in 2017.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz confirms he will play tournament in 2025 for the very first time in his career

He has followed in the footsteps of Sinner and Alcaraz in that regard, with Fonseca now eager to emulate their ATP Tour success in the coming years.

“It is a good pressure,” he said, as quoted by the ATP Tour website. “By winning Next Gen, it shows I am on the right path.

“I hope I can do the same or even better than what they have done and are doing and are going to do. I look forward to playing with them and I hope I can compete in big matches at Grand Slams. It is where I want to go.”