Cincinnati
Fonseca credits ‘belief’ after bouncing back in Cincinnati
#NextGenATP Brazilian beats Bu, snaps three-match ATP Masters 1000 losing streak
August 07, 2025
2025 Jared Wickerham/Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open
Joao Fonseca, No. 49 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is making his Cincinnati debut this week.
By Jerome Coombe
Joao Fonseca snapped a three-match losing streak at ATP Masters 1000 level on Thursday at the Cincinnati Open, where he shook off an error-strewn first set to advance to the second round.
The #NextGenATP Brazilian hit 18 unforced errors in a shaky opener against Buyunchaokete, but he ultimately found his range to score a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 win — his first at this level since Madrid in April. With his two-hour, 19-minute triumph, Fonseca let out a mighty roar when he became the youngest match winner in Cincinnati since Borna Coric and Jared Donaldson in 2015.
Starting his Cincy campaign with the W! 👏
Fonseca fights past Bu 4-6 6-2 7-5.@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/eOc9qOg7S8
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 7, 2025
“I was struggling a lot, missing a lot of shots, not feeling my best today,” Fonseca said after his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the Chinese No. 1. “I was staying in the game, believing that I would find the opportunity, and I got it. I’m very happy with how I believed.”
After reaching the third round at Wimbledon, Fonseca returned to hard-court action in Toronto last week, but was upset in his opener by Australian Tristan Schoolkate, who delivered a clinical serving performance. However, it was Fonseca’s own serving prowess that pulled him through against Buyunchaokete, winning 17 of 18 points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in the final set.
Into the second round on his Cincinnati debut, Fonseca will face recent Washington finalist and No. 19 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Spaniard, aiming to debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin after three championship-match runs this year.
The Cincinnati Open has undergone a major transformation in 2025, expanding to a 12-day, 96-player event, which coincides with a $260 million campus renovation. This expansion aims to enhance both player and fan experiences.
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In other early action on Day 1 in Ohio, Arthur Rinderknech moved past Nuno Borges to set a second-round meeting with 11th seed Casper Ruud. The Norwegian reached the fourth round in Toronto, but fell to Karen Khachanov, who is into Thursday’s final against American Ben Shelton.