Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Joao Fonseca pulled a stern first-round test from Jacob Fearnley in Indian Wells to add a maiden Paribas Open win to his breakout 2025 season on March 6. The Brazilian prevailed 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in a topsy-turvy battle against Britain’s Fearnley. In windy conditions, the 18-year-old trailed 1-3 in the deciding set but then reeled off five straight games to earn his second ATP Masters 1000 match win and his first on a hard court, ATP reports.
With his two-hour victory in Indian Wells, Fonseca set a second-round clash with 13th seed Jack Draper.
Within the past three months, Fonseca has triumphed at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals and lifted his maiden tour-level title in Buenos Aires, either side of upsetting Andrey Rublev for his first main-draw win at a major at the Australian Open.
After pulling away and taking the opening set 6-2, Fonseca had to hold on tight in the second. He saved two break points and wiggled through a five-deuce game to hold for one-all but he couldn’t get through his next service game.
Fearnley had a break for 3-1 and he quickly consolidated for 4-1. In the ensuing games the Brit, who finished with a whopping 23 forehand winners on the day. He closed out the second set in style and continued to hold sway over the run of play in the third.
After breaking for 2-1, his 17th forehand winner of the match gave the World No. 81 a pair of game points to consolidate for 3-1. But, Fonseca took control of the tug-of-war and regained the upper hand and closed out victory with a perfect backhand volley winner to end the contest in two hours.
This was Fonseca’s seventh tour-level triumph of the season having won four of seven break points he earned, according to ATP Stats.
In other action Canadian Lucky Loser Gabriel Diallo saved a pair of match points to defeat China’s Zhang Zhizhen on Stadium 3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(7). Jakub Mensik, 19, also advanced, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-4, 7-6(6). He will face 22nd-seeded Karen Khachanov next.
