Joao Fonseca’s first-round match against France’s Luka Pavlovic at the French Open was challenging. The Brazilian, ranked No. 30 in the world, eventually prevailed, but not without incident.
Fonseca’s Frustration Boils Over
The first set was tightly contested, stretching into a tiebreaker. Fonseca became increasingly frustrated as Pavlovic took a 5-4 lead. After miscuing a forehand, Fonseca smashed a ball into the stands, resulting in a code violation for ball abuse.
The crowd responded with boos, cheering for Pavlovic even more enthusiastically. Despite the setback, Fonseca managed to regain his composure.
Fonseca fought back to win the tiebreaker 8-6, securing the first set 7-6. This proved to be a turning point in the match.
Brazilian Recovers to Win
After winning the first set, Fonseca played better in the second. He took the second set 6-4, capitalising on his serve despite Pavlovic earning break points.
Fonseca maintained his momentum, winning the third set 6-2. This secured his place in the second round. The match lasted two hours and 14 minutes.
This victory marked Fonseca’s third at the French Open. He debuted last year, losing to Jack Draper in the third round.
Fonseca Acknowledges Need for Improvement
Fonseca had previously shown his temper at the Madrid Open. He destroyed his racket after falling behind 2-0 in the decisive set against Rafael Jódar. Following that match, Fonseca admitted his on-court attitude “needs to be better” after receiving a code violation.
Fonseca acknowledged the importance of fighting to earn his victory against Pavlovic. “I was happy the way I fought today to the end,” Fonseca said. “I was a set point down, and I played well. The nerves were everywhere, but I could handle it. Very happy with the way I fought.”
Fonseca’s next opponent is Dino Prizmic in the second round of the French Open. Prizmic is entering the match in good form.