Fonseca headlines UTS Rio line-up as home favourite confirms debut
Joao Fonseca will make his UTS debut on home soil next month, headlining the line-up for UTS Rio presented by XP at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanazinho stadium on July 16, 17 and 18. The 11,000-seat arena is expected to be packed for the Brazilian, who has become one of the biggest draws in the men’s … Continued
Joao Fonseca playing UTS Rio de Janeiro
Joao Fonseca will make his UTS debut on home soil next month, headlining the line-up for UTS Rio presented by XP at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanazinho stadium on July 16, 17 and 18.
The 11,000-seat arena is expected to be packed for the Brazilian, who has become one of the biggest draws in the men’s game and a household name in his sports-mad homeland. “I can’t wait to play in front of my home crowd, especially in the iconic Maracanazinho arena that is loved by the Cariocans,” said Fonseca, nicknamed The Rocket on the UTS circuit for his shotmaking.
Fonseca arrives in Rio off the back of a breakthrough first half of the season. The 19-year-old announced himself on the sport’s biggest stage at Roland-Garros, where he came from two sets down to stun Novak Djokovic in five – becoming the first Brazilian to beat the Serb in singles – before backing it up against Casper Ruud to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
He was eventually halted by Jakub Mensik, but the run carried him to a career-high ranking inside the world’s top 25.
He joins a strong eight-man field competing for a purse of $1,237,000, with the winner taking $400,000. Among them is Francisco Cerundolo, fresh from the biggest title of his career: the Argentine beat Tommy Paul on Sunday to become the first man from his country to win at Queen’s Club, recovering from a set and a break down in the longest final in the tournament’s history. Three players are still to be announced.
Nick Kyrgios, former world No. 13 Ugo Humbert and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie – a past ATP title winner in Rio – complete the names announced so far, with three more players to follow in the coming days.
