Sawt Falasteen - Fonseca fever sparks tennis boom in Brazil

In recent years, fans from the football-mad nation have brought their boisterous energy to typically restrained tennis matches as they followed the 19-year-old's ascension to number 30 in the world.

In Brazil, children are flocking to tennis academies and youth tournaments to follow in his footsteps.

"Today, we have no spots available. There is a waiting list," tennis coach Juninho Nascimento told AFP at his academy in Sao Bernardo do Campo, 20 kilometers from Sao Paulo.

One of his students, 13-year-old Henry Takahashi, said he trains every day, with Fonseca serving as his "inspiration".

"I like how (Fonseca) carries himself on the court, his shots... everything," Takahashi said shyly.

With his aggressive playing style, a heavy forehand, and plenty of charisma, Rio de Janeiro native Fonseca has emerged as the great hope of South American tennis.

In the process, he has put Brazil back on the map among the men's tennis elite.

On Friday he blasted Djokovic out of the French Open in an almost five-hour match.

In 2025 -- when he won his first titles on the ATP Tour in Buenos Aires and Basel -- Fonseca became just the fifth Brazilian in history to break into the top 25 of the world rankings.

His highest ranking has been 24th.

This places him in an exclusive club alongside Gustavo Kuerten -- the country's only world number one -- Thomaz Bellucci, Fernando Meligeni, and Thomaz Koch.

It had been a long time coming for Brazil: Kuerten retired in 2008, Meligeni in 2003, and Koch in 1985.

- Same racket, same moustache -

Brazil recorded a 34 percent jump in the number of participants in a national youth championship for players between the ages of 12 and 18 and the Federation Cup -- an elite tournament for rising stars in which Fonseca himself once competed.

"It's crazy! I joke with everyone: Joao Fonseca wins a match in the morning, and by the afternoon, the number of registered members goes up," Danilo Gaino, president of the Sao Paulo tennis federation, told AFP.

Thiago Freitas, Brazil operations director for the Roc Nation sports agency, said Fonseca attracted young fans.

"If you look at the boys, they're all growing little mustaches and beards just like Joao's," Nascimento said -- referring to the goatee often sported by the player.

Many also use his racket model.

Just breaking into the professional ranks, Luis "Guto" Miguel is one of Brazil's most promising young tennis players.

Ranked second in the International Tennis Federation's junior standings, the 17-year-old believes that Fonseca is "paving a path" for others to follow.

"It's a tough road. With his dedication, his shot-making, and his attitude, he helps us learn faster and reach the very top," Miguel told AFP after competing in the Latin American Open in Sao Paulo -- his debut on the ATP Tour.

In Sao Bernardo do Campo, other up-and-coming young players wrap up a practice session.

Seeing "such a young player" like Fonseca win titles is an inspiration, said one of them, Bruno Rodrigues.

"If he can do it, maybe one day we can too."

H.Darwish--SF-PST