The 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca is regarded as a big star of the future. He is already in the semi-finals at the Swiss Indoors in Basel - and is also benefiting from a bit of luck.
25.10.2025, 04:30
SDA
The Swiss Indoors has a special name in Brazil. "We just call it the 'Rogers Tournament'," explains João Fonseca with a laugh. The teenager has every reason to be in a good mood. In his first appearance in Basel, the world number 46 - making him the youngest player in the top 50 - has already reached the semi-finals and has justified hopes of reaching the final against Jaume Munar (ATP 42) on Saturday.
For the second time, Fonseca benefited from an opponent's injury. In the round of 16 he didn't even have to play against the No. 7 seed Jakub Mensik, and on Friday Denis Shapovalov threw in the towel in the third set due to knee problems after dominating the first set. Nevertheless, Fonseca's advance was not stolen. In the first round, he knocked last year's winner Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard out of the tournament.
Joys and sorrows with Federer
The Brazilian grew up as a huge fan of Roger Federer. "The year I was born (2006), he played brilliantly," he says in the mixed zone after the quarter-final, his eyes shining. He then remembers the years 2017 and 2018 very well, when Federer conjured up a comeback with the Grand Slam titles 18 is 20. He watched the 2019 Wimbledon final, which he lost after two match points against Novak Djokovic, in its entirety. "Not a great memory," he admits. A highlight, however, was when he met his idol in person for the first time at the Laver Cup in San Francisco a few weeks ago, he enthuses.
Fonseca is well aware that he is now playing in the city where Federer has triumphed no fewer than ten times. He feels correspondingly at home in the St. Jakobshalle and in Switzerland in general. "I have friends in Zurich," he says. He has also visited the Swiss headquarters of his equipment supplier there.
With his cracking forehand and uncomplicated manner, the figurehead of the so-called "next generation" has what it takes to be a crowd favorite. Even when things weren't going well at the start of the quarter-final, "Força" or "Vamos João" kept echoing around the court when things got tight. He is not really surprised by this. "I have the feeling that there are always Brazilian fans everywhere in the world," he says gratefully. "And even just ten Brazilians can be pretty loud."
Kuerten as a second idol
Fonseca is also grateful for the pioneering work of his compatriot Gustavo Kuerten, even though he is too young to have experienced the great successes of the three-time French Open winner and former world number one live. But he has already met "Guga" and is impressed. "He has done so much for us Brazilians and has such charisma."
However, he could still use help from Federer in one area. "I'm grateful for restaurant tips in Basel," he says with a laugh as he leaves. "So far I've been eating chicken and rice. If I win the tournament, maybe I'll have a steak." Fonseca has not (yet) found a Brazilian restaurant in Basel. After all, it can't all work out at the first attempt.
