The 2025 Laver Cup is around the corner, and the buzz is only getting louder as fresh talent steps onto one of tennis’ most electrifying stages. Among them is the 19-year-old Brazilian rising star, Joao Fonseca, who is eager to prove his mettle against the world’s elite. Set to join forces with the likes of Taylor Fritz and others in Team World, the youngster has recently sent a message to his team captain, Andre Agassi.
Joao Fonseca has been in decent form this season. He has already won a title (Argentina Open) this season, and now perhaps it’s yet again time for him to prove his mettle against the top guns. Talking about this tournament, the Laver Cup is a three-day team competition where six men’s players from Europe compete against six players from the rest of the world. This year, the event will be held at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, from 19 to 21 September. Team Europe will feature the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, and Flavio Cobolli. Who will be on Team World?
Well, along with Taylor Fritz and Fonseca, we’d also seen Alex de Minaur, Francisco Cerundolo, Alex Michelsen, and Reilly Opelka in action. This year, Yannick Noah has replaced Bjorn Borg as Team Europe’s captain, while Andre Agassi will lead Team World. So far, this tournament has been held seven times, and Team World currently leads the race by 4-3. While sharing his thoughts about this tournament, Fonseca said, Laver Cup is “an amazing opportunity to be around great players, great captains.” Then, in a recent video clip released by Laver Cup’s official IG handle, he sent a message to his team captain. Joao Fonseca said, “I love playing with the best, so if Andre picks me for anyone, I’ll be ready.“
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Talking about his upcoming mission, he also added, “As a player, we’re competitive, we don’t want to lose, and we wanna win at all costs. I’m gonna bring a great vibe and hopefully great tennis that will help them to take this trophy.” This is not just a tournament but also a learning opportunity for someone like Fonseca. He said that he’s interested in learning how his teammates prepare for matches and is looking forward to a new environment with shared camaraderie.
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The prospect of working with first-time Captain Agassi is itself a massive drawcard, and on top of that, this is also a tournament that is hand-made by his tennis idol, Roger Federer. During this interview, he also recalled the moment from 2022 when a tearful Federer bid adieu to the sport after playing alongside his archrival, Rafael Nadal, in the same tournament. Overall, tennis fans can now imagine how excited this young lad will be for stepping onto the courts in San Francisco. What does Andre Agassi have to say about Fonseca, though?
Andre Agassi showers huge praise on Joao Fonseca
Joao Fonseca’s brilliance has time and again gained the attention of tennis stars. For example, earlier this year in a press conference, Novak Djokovic heaped praise on the Brazilian, saying, “He’s been [the] talk of the Tour in the last several months. I mean, deservedly so. He’s a very good tennis player. I mean, so young. Just incredible firepower from both ends of the baseline, serve [as well]. He’s a very complete player.“
Currently ranked 42 in the world, Fonseca had previously earned praise from Andre Agassi as well. In a previous instance, while speaking on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast, he claimed that Joao Fonseca has already stolen his attention. “Watching him play is crazy, the easy power he has off both wings and the movement and athleticism. He is a bigger guy than you think, too. A bit like Sinner. I saw Sinner listed at 6 foot 2, and when I finally got a chance to meet him I was like no, no, no – you have to change that. He is 6 foot 3+. The same with Fonseca.”
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As per Agassi, Fonseca can generate the same swing and inject pace into his shots like Carlos Alcaraz. “It’s like he’s throwing a jab, but it’s a straight right. It’s pretty crazy watching him. He was the coach’s pick [for the Laver Cup], and I am the kind of guy who doesn’t need to wait,” Agassi added. He also mentioned that he believes in Fonseca’s abilities, and now he will also watch him play against anybody very closely. So, the young Brazilian has already won the heart of Agassi. Can he now win the title for his captain at the Laver Cup?
Time will tell, but Fonseca has been in red-hot form. He recently led Brazil to qualification for the 2026 Davis Cup. They defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Greece by 3-1. Joao Fonseca is surely a player to watch out for in the near future. What do you say?