Cincinnati
\n Fonseca credits ‘belief’ after bouncing back in Cincinnati <\/p>\n
#NextGenATP Brazilian beats Bu, snaps three-match ATP Masters 1000 losing streak<\/p>\n
August 07, 2025<\/p>\n
Andrew Eichenholz\/ATP Tour<\/p>\n
Joao Fonseca, No. 49 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is making his Cincinnati debut this week.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
Joao Fonseca<\/a> snapped a three-match losing streak at ATP Masters 1000 level on Thursday at the Cincinnati Open<\/a>, where he shook off an error-strewn first set to advance to the second round.<\/p>\n The #NextGenATP Brazilian hit 18 unforced errors in a shaky opener against Buyunchaokete<\/a>, but he ultimately found his range to score a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 win \u2014 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<\/a> and Jared Donaldson<\/a> in 2015.<\/p>\n Starting his Cincy campaign with the W! \ud83d\udc4f<\/p>\n Fonseca fights past Bu 4-6 6-2 7-5.@CincyTennis<\/a> | #CincyTennis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/eOc9qOg7S8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) August 7, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cI was struggling a lot, missing a lot of shots, not feeling my best today,\u201d Fonseca said after his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the Chinese No. 1. \u201cI was staying in the game, believing that I would find the opportunity, and I got it. I\u2019m very happy with how I believed.\u201d<\/p>\n After reaching the third round at Wimbledon<\/a>, Fonseca returned to hard-court action in Toronto last week, but was upset in his opener by Australian Tristan Schoolkate<\/a>, who delivered a clinical serving performance. However, it was Fonseca\u2019s own serving prowess that pulled him through against Buyunchaokete<\/a>, winning 17 of 18 points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in the final set.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. The Spaniard, aiming to debut at the Nitto ATP Finals<\/a>, is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin after three championship-match runs this year.<\/p>\n The Cincinnati Open<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n You May Also Like: Inside the $260m transformation of the Cincinnati Open<\/a><\/p>\n In other early action on Day 1 in Ohio, Arthur Rinderknech<\/a> moved past Nuno Borges<\/a> to set a second-round meeting with 11th seed Casper Ruud<\/a>. The Norwegian reached the fourth round in Toronto, but fell to Karen Khachanov<\/a>, who is into Thursday\u2019s final against American Ben Shelton<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n