Joao Fonseca beat Luca Van Assche 4-2 4-2 4-1 to reach the championships match at the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah.
The 18-yea-old Brazilian player converted four of his fourteen break points he earned and did not face any of his on his serve.
Fonseca has maintained his unbeaten streak in all his four matches this year after posting a 3-0 record in his three round-robin matches. He beat Jakub Mensik on Friday in five sets that all went to tie-breaks. He started the tournament as the lowest seed but he is the only undefeated player lef after Learner Tien beat Alex Michelsen in the other semifinal.
Fonseca is just the third player to reach the final before the age of 19 following Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Fonseca earned his first break in the fifth game to win the opening set 4-2. After Van Assche received treatment for a on a right thigh injury, Fonseca won the second set with another break in the fifth game, The South American player broke early in the first game of the third set. Van Assche saved four break points in the third game at 1-2. Fonseca sealed the win with a double break on his second match point.
“On hard courts, I have never had such a good week. I am playing a very high level. I am justvery proud of myself and the way that I have been with my routine this week, so focused. With my family here, with my three coaches, it’s really nice and I hope that I can go for the title”, said Fonseca.
Fonseca set up a final match against Learner Tien, who won eight of his nine break points to beat Alex Michelsen 2-4 4-2 1-4 4-0. Tien is the first player in Next Gen ATP Finals history to beat each of the top three seeds in the same tournament after beating number 1 Arthur Fils and world number 2 Jakub Mensik earlier this week.
Michelsen broke in the sixth game with a backhand winner to win the first set 4-2. Tien broke in the third game with a backhand pass. Michelsen saved a break point in the first game of the second set before breaking serve in the fourth game. He served out to seal the the third set 4-1.
Tien broke in the second game of the fourth set to open up a 2-0 lead despite some discomfort in his hip. Tien was broken for the second time as as Tien took the match to the ffth set.
Tien went up 15-40 at 1-0 in the fifth set. Michelsen saved two break points with a big serve and a big forehand but Tien hit a backhand return winner to break serve for 2-0. Michelsen saved two match points on serve at 0-3. Tien sealed the win on his third match point, as Michelsen hir his forehand into the net after 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Tien and Michelsen trained together in California and became good friends off the court.
“I can’t put it into words right now. I am really happy with the win but I hate it was against him, but that is just how it goes. I started smiling when I came out here and saw him on the third set, but I am really happy to get through and think I played really well”, said Tien.
