Big Local Hope crashes out of Rio Open

The young Brazilian star João Fonseca has been eliminated from the singles draw at the Rio Open. On Thursday night (19), in a rain-delayed match, the world No. 38 was defeated in a comeback by Peru’s Ignacio Buse, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, after 2 hours and 26 minutes in the round of 16.

The loss denied Fonseca the chance to reach the quarterfinals and match his best performance at the ATP 500 event in Rio, achieved in 2024. Buse, who began the week ranked No. 91 in the world, advanced to face Italy’s Matteo Berrettini on Friday (20) and is expected to climb in the ATP rankings.

After the match, Fonseca admitted he struggled to maintain his level after a strong start.

“I had a good first set. I didn’t take too many risks, but I managed to get a break that, in my opinion, was more his mistake than my merit. In the second set, I had a big opportunity and couldn’t convert it. After that, I lost my rhythm. He raised his level, gained confidence, and I dropped mine. There’s a lot I need to improve,” he said.

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The Brazilian finished the match with more than 40 unforced errors. When asked about the high number, he was straightforward:

“Make fewer mistakes. If I hadn’t made so many errors, I probably would have won. But tennis isn’t that simple. Some days things just don’t click. I tried to adjust and find solutions, but I couldn’t really find my game. That’s part of the sport,” he added.

Despite the singles exit, Fonseca remains alive in doubles. Partnering with Marcelo Melo, he will play a semifinal on Friday, closing out the day’s schedule.

“Tennis has its ups and downs. There are weeks when you lose, and the following week you need to reset your mindset, look for solutions, and move forward. Now it’s about resting, reflecting, and continuing the work,” he concluded.

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