The 2025 Laver Cup has officially kicked off in spectacular fashion, and it didn’t take long for the teenage sensation, Joao Fonseca, to etch his name in the history books. In a thrilling display of composure and skill, the youngster not only opened the scoring for Team World but also created a record for himself, signaling that the eighth edition of the tournament could be one for the ages.

The day started with Casper Ruud’s straight-sets triumph over Reilly Opelka. Following that, another youngster, Jakub Mensik, gave Team Europe a 2-0 lead against Team World with his three-set win against Alex Michelsen. With that win, the 20-year-old Czech star became the youngest player since the event’s inauguration (in 2017)‌ to win a singles match at the Laver Cup. But ‌within a few hours, Fonseca surpassed him with an astonishing feat!

The Brazilian took down Team Europe’s Flavio Cobolli by 6-4, 6-3 to become the first teenager to win a Laver Cup match since the event’s inauguration in 2017. Joao Fonseca did it at 19 years and 29 days, while Mensik achieved this feat at 20 years and 18 days. Before today, Alexander Zverev held this crown. The German achieved a similar feat in 2017, and he was then aged 20 years and 155 days. 

With this incredible victory, he brought back Team World in the contest with the scoreline 1-2 against Team Europe. Captain Andre Agassi and the rest of Team World were even spotted singing Joao Fonseca’s song during the match. It was an incredible atmosphere inside the Chase Center. Talking about the match, well, be it his huge forehand down the line, lob, or drop volley, the teenager was absolutely bliss to watch.

This victory has now also secured his revenge against the Italian. Earlier this year, Cobolli had defeated him in the R32 in Halle by three sets. So, although the revenge is done and dusted, there is still plenty of work to be done on Team World’s side, as Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik have extended the lead to 3-1 with a 7-6(7), 6-4 win against Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen in the doubles match. 

If we take a look at the overall record, Team Europe has a 5-2 lead against Team World. Seeing their start in the eighth edition of this iconic tennis event, it’s needless to mention that Carlos Alcaraz and co. have yet again put themselves in the driver’s seat. It’ll be interesting to see how Joao Fonseca and his team make a comeback on Day 2. But what did he say after this match against Cobolli, though?

Laver Cup 2025 is a great learning opportunity for Joao Fonseca

Before the start of this tournament, Joao Fonseca said that the Laver Cup is “an amazing opportunity to be around great players, great captains.” With Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Casper Ruud on the other side, surely this is a great chance for players like him to show their potential against the finest of the game.

Talking about the team captain, Andre Agassi, he said, “I love his journey, and the way that he played was super nice. I love playing with the best, so if Andre picks me for anyone, I’ll be ready.” Now he not only got the chance to show what he can do on the court but also created a milestone for himself. 

Do you know Fonseca was born 12 days before Agassi retired from tennis in 2006? While sharing his thoughts about how it feels to share the dressing room with these legends, he stated, “I think it’s a lot of things coming from those legends that’s important to put in mind. There’s a lot of things that not only experience tells you, so I’m thankful a lot to [Andre] and to [Vice Captain] Pat [Rafter] for this week and helping me to have more experience.”

Coming to his match against Cobolli, Joao Fonseca admitted that he knew it was going to be a difficult match, and at the same time, he claimed that he also knew about the importance of this match, especially to keep his team in the contest. So, he tried to stay positive right from the word ‘go’ and play an aggressive brand of tennis by not giving any space to his opponent.

From 2-4 down, he roared back into the match in style. While sharing his thoughts about how he managed to bounce back despite a little hiccup, Fonseca added, “I think my team helped me a lot to stay positive during the match. I got an early break and was a little bit more nervous than usual. That’s normal. I started talking a little bit more with Andre and with the team. I was playing good in the beginning, but still a little bit nervous, making mistakes. But after that, I got through, so I’m very happy with that.”

He says it’s an absolute pleasure to play in front of the legends of the sport, and for him, spending time off the court with players who are rivals throughout the rest of the year and talking about all their strengths and weaknesses is nothing short of a spectacle! “I'm trying to listen to everything the legends like Pat and Andre say, but also my teammates, to absorb as much as possible and continue growing as a tennis player and person,” said the 19-year-old rising star.

Do you think Fonseca can help Team World secure a lead against Team Europe with some impressive performances in the next couple of days? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta