João Fonseca Advances to Final After Defeating Kei Nishikori

Phoenix, Arizona — Brazilian tennis player João Fonseca, 18, secured a spot in the finals of the Challenger 175 tournament by defeating former world number four Kei Nishikori in straight sets on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Fonseca won with scores of 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted just over an hour.

The semifinal battle saw Fonseca showcase his rising talent as he continued his impressive campaign in the United States. Starting with a win against Pavel Kotov in the first round, he also overcame Jan-Lennard Struff, a tournament favorite, and Hugo Gaston in previous rounds leading up to this match.

“I work to make fewer errors, and I’ve done that since I was a child,” Fonseca said after his victory. “I’m inspired by top-five athletes as I carve my own path. I play for my country, and I do this to make people happy. Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far.”

In the finals, set for Sunday, March 16, 2025, Fonseca will face Alexander Bublik, the Kazakh player who defeated Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the other semifinal. The championship match is expected to commence at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live by Sportv3.

Nishikori, now ranked 76th in the world, has a rich history with 12 ATP titles and a runner-up finish at the US Open in 2014. Though he faced injuries in recent years, his past accolades include a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he famously overcame two-time gold medalist Andy Murray for the podium spot.

In the semifinal, the match began tightly with both players holding serve. Fonseca broke Nishikori’s serve, taking a 4-2 lead and capitalizing on the momentum to close the first set at 6-3.

The second set mirrored the first until Fonseca broke Nishikori’s serve at 3-2. From there, he maintained control of the match, ultimately sealing the second set with another 6-3 win.

The finals will mark another significant step in Fonseca’s young career as he aims for his first title in the Challenger circuit.