Brazilian tennis has been waiting for its next great hope since the days of Gustavo Kuerten. For a brief moment, it seemed that moment had arrived with João Fonseca. Bursting onto the scene as a teenager, Fonseca carried himself with the confidence and flair of a player destined for greatness.

His triumph at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals, where he dismantled his peers with fearless hitting and relentless energy, was heralded as the dawn of a new era. The Brazilian’s first ATP title earlier this year only deepened the belief that a star was born.

But in the months since that breakthrough, the narrative has shifted. Instead of cementing his place as one of the ATP Tour’s most exciting rising talents, Fonseca has stumbled. Early-round losses, missed opportunities, and visible struggles with

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