Remember the Miami Open crowd going wild when 18-year-old Joao Fonseca stormed into the third round, defeating 19th-seeded Humbert in straight sets? After the match, when asked about his greatest strength, Fonseca said, “Technically, it’s definitely my forehand.” And he proved it, unleashing blistering forehands at 113mph against Humbert. That same fearsome weapon has now arrived at the Laver Cup, leaving Team World captain Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff’s former coach Brad Gilbert utterly stunned. 

Team World’s Joao Fonseca stepped onto the court against Team Europe’s Flavio Cobolli in the night session of the 2025 Laver Cup, marking the third match of Day One. Making his debut at the event, Fonseca faced the returning Cobolli, who served as a first alternate last year. The Brazilian’s game quickly turned heads, unleashing a ferocious forehand that even left Team World captain Andre Agassi in awe. The Laver Cup’s X handle captured the moment, captioning the clip, “The full force of the Fonseca forehand 👀.”

The power of Fonseca’s shots didn’t go unnoticed off-court either. Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach, commented, “Would be cool 😎 on big scoreboard to show mph of forehand winner, Fonseca hits some huge ones already.” The remark underscored just how much impact Fonseca’s firepower had, electrifying the crowd and announcing the arrival of a new weapon in the Laver Cup arena.

Joao Fonseca’s forehand may appear middle-of-the-pack on paper, but a closer look reveals a stroke brimming with untapped potential. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis shows that while the 18-year-old hasn’t yet dominated traditional match stats, like first-serve points won or second-serve return points, his forehand has all the ingredients to evolve into a tour-wide nightmare. What sets it apart is the trajectory: it’s on the rise, and the rest of the ATP Tour should take notice.

According to ATP data, Fonseca’s forehand averages 81 mph, outpacing the tour average of 76 mph, while his spin rate hits 3,019 rotations per minute, comfortably above the tour average of 2,844 rpm. These numbers hint at the raw power and control waiting to be fully harnessed. 

Fellow Next Gen star Arthur Fils sees it clearly: “He has great timing, I would say. So even if you play fast on the forehand, he can react very fast and play even faster. I think he has easy power. Like I said with the great timing, you have easy power. He can play very fast without forcing so imagine when he’s going to use all the power, all the strength that he has, it’s going to go very, very fast.”

What holds Fonseca back currently is consistency and precision. He lands 81 per cent of balls in play, slightly below the tour average of 83%, and only 22 per cent of his forehands land within one metre of the sideline, compared to the 27% tour average. Even so, the glimpses of brilliance are undeniable, when his timing, strength, and skill converge, the shot can be devastating.

The Laver Cup crowd witnessed that firsthand. During a break, Andre Agassi’s passion for the Brazilian shone through as he moved toward Fonseca, while teammates and fans alike circled him, chanting, “JOÃAAAO FONSECAAAA.” The energy crackled, a mix of awe and excitement, reflecting the potential packed into every swing of his forehand.

And Fonseca didn’t stop at fireworks on the wing. He also contributed crucially with his serve, toppling Flavio Cobolli to give Team World a tangible advantage. The performance wasn’t just about stats: it was a statement: a rising star, armed with a lethal forehand, is ready to shake up the court and leave a lasting mark on the Laver Cup.

Fonseca secures Team World’s opening point at Laver Cup

Team World finally got on the scoreboard at the 2025 Laver Cup thanks to Joao Fonseca’s electrifying 6-4, 6-3 victory over Team Europe’s Flavio Cobolli at the Chase Center in San Francisco. With the win, Fonseca became the youngest player in history to secure a point for Team World, announcing his arrival on one of tennis’ biggest stages.

Although the scoreline appears straightforward, both sets featured tense, back-and-forth battles. Cobolli raced to a 4-2 lead in the opener, only for Fonseca to reel off four consecutive games. In the second set, the Brazilian gave back a break midway but immediately seized it back, ultimately serving out the match convincingly at 5-3.

“It’s a pleasure being here in front of a lot of legends of our sport,” Fonseca said during his on-court interview. “Amazing stadium; amazing crowd. Thanks everyone who came to cheer. It really means a lot to play on this court, so I’m very happy…. My team helped me a lot to stay positive during the match. I was a little bit more nervous than usual–that’s normal.”

The joy was mirrored in the face of Team World’s new captain, Andre Agassi, who replaced John McEnroe. Following the match, Agassi shared a chest bump with the Brazilian, a celebratory moment capturing the energy and pride coursing through the team.

Earlier in the day, Team Europe had surged ahead 2-0, with Casper Ruud opening the weekend by defeating Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-6(4), followed by Jakub Mensik edging out Alex Michelsen 6-1, 6-7(3), 10-8 in a nail-biting contest. Fonseca’s win trimmed the deficit and injected momentum back into Team World.

With the overall score now 2-1, all eyes turn to the doubles match. Can Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen harness the energy from Fonseca’s breakthrough to topple the formidable Carlos Alcaraz-Jakub Mensik duo and give Team World the edge in this fiercely contested Laver Cup battle? 

The tension is palpable, and the stakes have never been higher.