João Fonseca, one of the breakthroughs of the year, who has climbed from World No. 113 to his current rank of 46, becoming the first South American player to win an ATP title, has started Swiss Indoors Basel with an important victory, defeating last year's champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(6), 6-3, and became the youngest winner at the Swiss ATP 500 since Shapovalov in 2017.
The Brazilian player, still only 19 years old, is only in his first ever full season on the ATP Tour, held off 22-year-old Perricard, who struck 13 aces. However, Fonseca improved in the points won after first serve, and dispatched the French player in 86 minutes, waiting Jakub Mensik in round of 16.
While Mensik, another youngster in the tournament, recently turned 20, is ranked higher, 19 in the world, Fonseca defeated the Czech player in their only other previous match, at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Round of 16 players in Basel Open
Fonseca and Mensik will close action at the Basel Open today Wednesday, as part of round of 16 (19:10 CET). Before that, Jenson Brooksby faces Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich (16:40 CET). Tomorrow, the rest of r16 matches will take place, including second seed Ben Shelton against Jaume Munar.