Rafael Nadal may have stepped off the courts, but his impact? Oh, it’s as powerful as ever! With 22 Grand Slam titles under his belt, the Spanish legend is the ultimate symbol of grit and greatness, inspiring players across generations. And one youngster who couldn’t hide his admiration is Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca. The 18-year-old Fonseca, already making waves on the circuit, had his fanboy moment in Jeddah when he crossed paths with the King of Clay.
The Brazilian rising star is on a remarkable run at the Next Gen ATP Finals. He has won all three matches he has played so far and is now gearing up to face Luca Van Assche in the semi-finals. But what unfolded on Friday besides his remarkable win was a meet-up with none other than Nadal who visited the venue and engaged with players and fans. And it would not be wrong to say that for Fonseca, this meeting was nothing but inspirational.
The 18-year-old engaged in an interaction after his match and let his true sentiments out about meeting the Spaniard. “I met Rafa today, so I’m a bit of, like, inspired by him,” Fonseca said with joy clearly evident on his face. When quizzed about what exactly Rafa told him, Fonseca detailed the interaction sharing how his insights for the sport have motivated and inspired him.
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“Well actually I was with Alex (Michelsen) and Jakub (Mensik), and he said more of his, his experience which is a lot. And his mentality, the way he had that. He is a hardworker so it’s really nice and really inspired me today,” Fonseca added. In the pictures that emerged out of the tournament, Rafa was seen engaging with the budding players and participating in some discussions with them.
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Quiz of the day
Which tennis legend did Joao Fonseca meet that inspired him during the Next Gen ATP Finals?
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“I met Rafa [Nadal] today. I’m inspired by him”
😇 #NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/aJH0HWABBh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) December 20, 2024
In one of the pictures, he was seen sitting on a couch beside Michelsen, Mensik, and Fonseca and having some light-hearted interaction with them. The pictures also revealed Fonseca and Nadal discussing things with a mobile phone in their hand, which hinted at Nadal probably showing something to Fonseca. This, however, is not the only way Fonseca expressed his happiness on meeting Rafael Nadal.
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Fonseca took to his Instagram earlier and shared two pictures with Nadal. The catch? While one was captured 14 years ago when the Brazilian star was just 4 years old, the other was captured in Jeddah, where Nadal is visiting for three days. Captioning the story, he wrote, “14 years later 🐐,” signifying how elated he was to meet the legend. Now, as Fonseca gears up for the semi-finals, he wishes to remain inspired and play some sensational tennis.
Joao Fonseca has his goal set for the Next Gen ATP Finals
The match between Joao Fonseca and Jakub Mensik was no less than a thrilling encounter. Interestingly, this was only the second match in the history of the tournament that a match witnessed five tie-breaks after Dominic Stricker defeated Lorenzo Musetti in 2022. Hence, the steaks are high for the young Brazilian and he does not wish to give up on his chances.
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Looking back at his match, Fonseca said, “Before the match, I had already qualified for the semi-finals. I will play tomorrow, I had already qualified, so, I think in tennis or any sport you need to think of today, not tomorrow.” And now, he wishes to keep his momentum intact, win the semi-finals to eventually reach closer to the title. “I know Luca. He is a very solid guy. We are going to face each other for the first time. I am going to do my best and hope I can go for the win,” the youngster added, making his goals clear for the tournament.
Now, as the semi-final clash unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the meeting with Rafael Nadal inspires Fonseca and if he manages to etch his name on the title eventually.
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Can Joao Fonseca channel Nadal's legendary grit to clinch the Next Gen ATP Finals title?
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Can Joao Fonseca channel Nadal's legendary grit to clinch the Next Gen ATP Finals title?
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