Joao Fonseca once again lived up to expectations, defeating Learner Tien in the second round-robin match to secure his spot in the semifinals of the Next Gen ATP Finals. The Brazilian’s victory was followed by Arthur Fils’ straight-sets win over Jakub Mensik, leaving the Czech player almost eliminated.

On the other hand, Tien remains in contention despite the heavy defeat to Joao Fonseca, needing to beat Fils to secure a semifinal spot.

Fonseca dominates
Tien to advance to Semifinals

Fonseca (No. 145) delivered a flawless performance, dominating the match from start to finish to seal victory in just 69 minutes. The Brazilian started spectacularly, winning the first two sets 4-0, 4-0, each in just 14 minutes.

The 18-year-old, who entered the tournament as the 8th seed, has now secured two consecutive wins to qualify for the semifinals, though he still needs to face Jakub Mensik to determine if he can finish as the group leader. Fonseca slightly dropped his level in the third set, allowing Tien to claim it 4-1. However, it wasn’t enough to force a fifth set, as Fonseca clinched the fourth 4-2.

Both players exceeded 70% on first serves, but Fonseca stood out, winning 69% of points on his second serve compared to Tien’s 31%. The Brazilian faced only one break point throughout the match, which he saved, while converting five of his 15 opportunities.