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Jannik Sinner - US Open 2024, Carlos Alcaraz - Shanghai Masters 2024

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ATP Next Gen Finals champion reveals ‘dream to become No.1’ after matching Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Matthew Johns
Matthew Johns
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Joao Fonseca has become the third 18-year-old to win the ATP Next Gen Finals, revealing his goal to go all the way to the top of the rankings after matching both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.Fonseca went unbeaten at the tournament in Jeddah, culminating in a comeback final victory over American Learner Tien watched on by the recently retired Rafael Nadal.
As a result of his victories over Tien, World No.20 Arthur Fils, Jakub Mensik and Luca van Assche in Jeddah, Fonseca has received $526,480 in prize money. Prior to the Next Gen Finals, the Brazilian had only won $292,146 in career prize money, as he nearly triples that in one week. When speaking after his historic win, Fonseca hinted that this was only the start for him as he targets the top of the ATP rankings. “If you told Joao at the start of the year that he did all the things he did this year, he would think it is amazing,”said the current World No.145. “It is amazing how I have improved physically and mentally. I have been very strong mentally, winning matches against top 50, top 20 players. “I am proud of myself, but of course I want more. My dream is to become No.1. Of course, now after winning Next Gen, I want to enjoy it this week and relax and celebrate with my family. I want to enjoy the moment, and I am very pleased and thankful for this year.”
Fonseca is the seventh winner of the Next Gen Finals tournament, and joins the aforementioned
Alcaraz and Sinner as the only teenage winners. Alcaraz and Sinner have shared out the major titles this year, with Fonseca suggesting that he is ‘on the right path’ for success on the main tour, “It is a good pressure. By winning Next Gen, it shows I am on the right path. I hope I can do the same or even better than what they have done and are doing and are going to do. I look forward to playing with them and I hope I can compete in big matches at Grand Slams. It is where I want to go. “I need to believe when I go to a tournament that I can win. But now I have won it I am thinking, ‘wow, I made it’. I am very proud of myself.”
Alongside winning the Next Gen Finals, other highlights from Fonseca’s 2024 season include winning his maiden Challenger title in Lexington and reaching main tour quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest. Fonseca will begin his 2025 season next week at the Canberra Challenger, before he looks to make his senior Grand Slam main draw debut by playing Australian Open qualifying.
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Inside the baseline…There had been a lot of discussion about the potential of Joao Fonseca to become a future star, with the Brazilian showing some signs of it this year. And the ATP Next Gen Finals has really proved that, especially as he has joined such an exclusive list with arguably the two best men’s singles players at the moment, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. It seems inevitable that Fonseca will become a top 100 player next year, and it will be interesting to see how close he can get to achieving his dream of becoming World No.1.
READ NEXT: Nick Kyrgios claims former World No.1’s opinion ‘means nothing’ to him
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