In a thrilling display of tennis at the esteemed ATP 500 event in Rio, Alexandre Muller triumphed over home-favorite Joao Fonseca, a victory Muller declared worthy of sharing with his future generations. Young talent Fonseca, who bagged his inaugural ATP title last year, failed to replicate his past success on native soil, succumbing to Muller in a gripping first-round match that ended 6-1, 7-6.
Muller, a seasoned player from France, showcased an exceptional performance, commanding the court in the first set and narrowly clinching victory in the second. Reflecting on his win, Muller expressed admiration for his opponent, declaring Fonseca a “future legend of our sport.”
The match, which spanned a little over an hour and a half, saw Muller delivering a rock-solid performance. His rich experience was evident as he lost merely 17 points in his games while successfully defending both break points, thereby applying constant pressure on Fonseca.
Despite the Brazilian’s valiant efforts, he struggled to keep pace with Muller’s relentless gameplay. The 18-year-old faced ten break points, surrendering his serve twice. While Fonseca demonstrated commendable resistance in the second set, he unfortunately couldn’t extend the match to a decisive third round.
Muller’s skillful manipulation of the game was on full display as he capitalized on over 30 unforced errors from Fonseca. In the initial stages of the match, Fonseca squandered a break opportunity and was immediately broken at love following a powerful forehand winner from Muller.
Fonseca’s game continued to falter as he missed a forehand in the fourth round, putting him at a significant 4-0 deficit. Despite holding in the sixth game and creating a break opportunity in the subsequent one, Fonseca’s missed forehand allowed Muller to dominate the opening set 6-1, courtesy of a service winner.
The second set saw an invigorated Fonseca saving three break points in the first game, indicating a potential turnaround. However, despite his best efforts to keep up, Fonseca faced another break point at 4-4. A tiebreak was introduced after both players served impressively in the next three games.
Despite a promising start, Fonseca’s double fault at 2-2 and a subsequent backhand error led him to face two match points. Muller capitalized on the first, thereby securing his victory and place in the next round.
Reflecting on the match, Muller expressed empathy for the tournament and its fans, acknowledging Fonseca as the local superstar. He stated, “Joao will return and conquer the event for many years. One day I will tell my children I beat Joao Fonseca on the center court in Rio de Janeiro. He will be a legend of the sport.”
