Fonseca to face ADF for Basel title

Teenaged young gun Joao Fonseca will bid for the first ATP 500 trophy of his career on Sunday when he faces tough Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Swiss Indoors final.

The 19-year-old Brazilian will be keen to duplicate his second-round Cincinnati win from August when AFD had to retire in the second set.

Fonseca booked his spot 7-6 (4), 7-5 over Jaume Munar of Spain while ADF beat Ugo Humbert 7-6 (4), 3-1 when the Frenchman retired.

His was the fourth in two days at the event once dominated by Basel-born Roger Federer, after Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov and Norway’s Casper Ruud were all unable to finish their quarter-final matches here on Friday due to injuries.

Fonseca rallied from 2-4 down in the second set against Munar, advancing with nearly 40 winners into the first Masters final for a Brazilian player.

“I knew that it was going to be a tough match, Jaume is playing well,” the winner said.

“I’m happy with how I stayed mentally after an early break in the second set. I’m very happy, so let’s stay hyped for the final.”

Fonseca, the No. 46, won his first Tour-level trophy last February in South America and reached the third round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

“It’s been an amazing year, starting at No. 130 in the world, now 40-something and into a first ATP 500 final,” Fonseca said after posting his 24th match win of 2025.

The Brazilian did not play the autumn Asian swing due to illness and is keen to come good in the closing stages of the 11-month tennis season.