Joao Fonseca and Marcelo Melo save 1 match point in Rio de Janeiro semifinals | ATP Tour
doubles
Fonseca/Mello save 1 match point in Rio de Janeiro SF
Brazil will face Franzen/Haas in the final
February 21, 2026
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Joao Fonseca and Marcelo Melo compete in the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
Visakha Khandelwal
Joao Fonseca erased singles heartbreak with a thrilling doubles victory at the Rio Open hosted by Claro on Saturday, as he teamed up with fellow Brazilian Marcelo Melo to beat Jacob Schnatter and Mark Woerner 6-2, 2-6, 13-11 to reach the championship match.
The Brazilian team fought back after falling behind 2-5 and saved a match point at 8/9 in the tie-break, defeating Schnatter and Werner in 1 hour and 29 minutes. In their first Lexus ATP head-to-head meeting with Germany, they won 70% (45/57) of first-serve points and saved two of the four break points they saved, according to Infosys ATP statistics.
Fonseca lost to Ignacio Busse in the second round of singles, but returned two days later to reach her first tour-level doubles final. Melo, who is 23 years older than Fonseca, is reaching his 79th tour-level final and is aiming to win his 41st title on Sunday. The Brazilian veteran joins compatriot Rafael Matos in claiming the 2025 Rio de Janeiro trophy.
The home favorites will face Konstantin Franzen/Robin Haas in the final. Franzen/Haas defeated third seeds Guido Andreozzi/Manuel Guinard 7-6(15), 2-6, 10-8 to enter the final.
