rio de janeiro
Hometown hero Fonseca earns first win of season in Rio
Berrettini, Cerundolo, Echeverri advance to ATP 500
February 18, 2026
Rio Open hosted by Claro
Joao Fonseca plays in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.
Visakha Khandelwal
There’s no better place to reconnect than home.
After battling injuries and a series of early exits, hometown hero Joao Fonseca earned his first win of the season on Tuesday, defeating compatriot Thiago Monteiro 7-6(1), 6-1 in the first round of the Rio Open hosted by Claro.
“It’s great to get the first win of the year [here] After a difficult few months,” Fonseca said. “It’s very special, so I’m very happy. “
In his first Lexus ATP match against Monteiro, Fonseca put on a dominant serving performance. He hit seven aces, including two in the crucial opening tiebreak, and won 84% (36/43) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP statistics. Buoyed by a raucous home crowd, the 19-year-old won in one hour and 24 minutes, during which time he faced no break points. He will face Ignacio Busse in the next round.
In other first-round matches, Matteo Berrettini held his own, defeating lucky loser Tomas Barrios Vera 7-6(1), 7-5. There was only one break of serve in the match, with Berrettini breaking Barrios Vera’s serve in the final game to seal victory over the Chilean in two hours and 25 minutes.
Tomas Martin Echeverry and top seed Francisco Cerundolo won the all-Argentina match to both advance to the second round. Echeverri defeated Francesco Comesana 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and Cerundolo defeated Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4. His younger brother Juan Manuel Cerundolo defeated second seed Luciano Darderi 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. The win came two days after Francisco defeated Dadri in the Buenos Aires final.
Watch Cerundolo vs. Navone highlights:
Other winners on Tuesday included Roman Andres Burruchaga and lucky loser Francesco Passaro. Burruchaga beat fifth seed Camilo Hugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-4, and Passaro beat Dino Prizmich 6-3, 6-4.
