Why are Joao Fonseca fans so loud? We asked the man himself 

HALLE, Germany—At Roland Garros, it was easy to tell which court Joao Fonseca was competing on. The queues to get a seat wherever he was playing wound their way around the grounds long before the first ball of the match. If that didn’t give it away, the passionate chanting, cheering and Brazilian flags in the stands would easily lead you to the 18-year-old in action.

It’s not a style of support that you would normally associate with tennis, but with Fonseca’s meteoric rise over the past 12 months, it’s an atmosphere that fans are starting to experience more and more. So what is it that makes Brazilian supporters so enthusiastic? The man they’ve all come to see has a theory.

“I think it comes a lot with soccer, “ he explained to Tennis Channel DE after arriving for the Terra Wortmann Open.

“When they see good players doing good things, I think they go mad for the matches and cheer a lot! I love their support. I love to represent my country, so it's super nice.”

The lengths Fonseca fans will go to stand behind their man is not always welcomed by more traditional followers of the game. And although Fonseca appreciates that, he understands why his fans can struggle to control their emotions.

“Sometimes they don’t know how to manage themselves,” he admitted. “But I know how that feels because I also went to some soccer matches! And at the same time, it's super nice how they go to everywhere I play,” he added.

Now it’s Halle’s turn to feel the Fonseca effect. The quiet town in northwest Germany is a calm oasis for many players. And the world number 57 is excited to be back at the tournament where he made his grass court Tour debut just 12 months ago.

“I'm feeling great and a lot has changed from last year,” he smiled.

“So I'm feeling confident and feeling much better than last year. I like playing on grass. And I’m thankful for Ralf (Weber, Tournament Director) for giving me this wildcard. It helps me a lot. So I need to thank him. I know how difficult it is. So I'm very happy to be back.”

To say a lot has changed since Fonseca’s first Terra Wortmann Open appearance in 2024 is an understatement. In the year that’s followed he’s won the ATP Next Gen Finals title, his first ATP Tour title in Acapulco and broken into the world’s top 100. But if he could do the past 12 months all over again, he says he’d only tell his past self three things:

“Keep practicing hard. Keep going. Good things are coming.”