Mumbai: Joao The crowd's cheers started the instant Jenson Brooksby's return sailed far, and Fonseca was there to take it all in, standing with his arms out and his face toward the sky. Fonseca then leaned down and buried his head in his hat, jumping up with a shout of "Vamos."

In a later interview with the Tennis Channel, he described his thoughts during that moment of victory.

The 18-year-old said, grinning, "I realized I'm in the third round."

It was a remarkable accomplishment since Fonseca made his Wimbledon debut and became the youngest man to advance to the third round of the competition since Bernard Tomic in 2011. Additionally, that was his debut season as a professional tennis player.

In the post-game press conference, Fonseca said, "It's something to be proud of." "With the way I played today, too, it's a fantastic accomplishment." I'm really pleased with how I've improved on this surface; I'm changing, so I'm content with it.

The Rio de Janeiro youngster became the first Brazilian since Thomaz Bellucci in 2010 to make it to this point at Wimbledon after defeating Brooksby in a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. With that, Fonseca has attracted a sizable fanbase, and he is now the top male player in his nation.

Outside Court 12, where he was working, there were lengthy lines of admirers hoping to catch a peek. Anyone who has watched Fonseca play will be familiar with the forceful and hard-hitting style that has allowed him to climb the ranks swiftly.

After winning the ATP Next Gen Finals, he entered the new season ranked 145 in the world. He quickly began to accumulate wins, beginning with the ATP Challenger in Canberra, which was also his first event of the year. He maintained that momentum by making it through the Australian Open qualifiers and defeating Andrey Rublev, the ninth seed, in the first round of a major tournament—the first time a man had ever done so since Mario Ancic defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2002.

Since then, the form has remained consistent. Fonseca won the Buenos Aires Open in February, making him the youngest South American to ever win an ATP tournament. He lost to fifth-seeded Jack Draper in his debut at the French Open last month, making it to the third round.

Fonseca is now ranked 54 in the globe due to his accomplishments during his first few months as a professional.

"Life has changed a lot." I'm happy with myself. I still need time to consider what is happening," he stated. "Lots of change, people are getting to know me better, and there are a lot of expectations. I'm really enjoying being on the tour, competing against top players in major competitions, and growing. As an athlete and as a person, that is the most important thing.

Learning to grind his way to victory was one aspect of the improvement. He has the capacity to break out of difficulties on both wings. However, a certain level of discretion is required at Wimbledon. With his ability to redirect, Brooksby may be a handful on grass; he also made it to the third round of his Wimbledon debut in 2022.

The American is a defensive baseliner that excels in protracted rallies. After making it to the final at Eastbourne, he arrived to Wimbledon. However, Fonseca, who is still learning to play on grass, was able to stand firm throughout the more difficult periods of the game, which he attributed to his changing attitude.

“The mindset of playing professionally is very different,” said Fonseca, who hit 50 winners in his second-round victory. "Sometimes you will lose the match even if you play your best tennis because the other player will be able to find a way to win the key points. You are sometimes restricted in those crucial areas. The mentality is the area in which I have seen the greatest improvement.

Watching films of his idol Federer playing at Wimbledon and Halle was a component of his grass-swing preparation. "It was beneficial to simply show you how to play," he said.

Notably, the Swiss firm in which Federer has invested is the one that sponsors Fonseca's gear.

The child wants to be like his hero. However, he is carving his own path through his engaging style of play and the big audiences he has started to attract.

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