The Next Gen ATP Finals champion Joao Fonseca is through into the semi-final at the Canberra Challenger. The 18-year-old will compete in his fifth Challenger semi-final, extending the winning streak that started in Jeddah at the end of December.
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Joao faced Harold Mayot in the quarter-final and scored a 6-2, 6-3 triumph in an hour and 12 minutes, remaining on the title course. The young fired nine aces and played better behind the first serve. Fonseca faced issues behind the initial shot.
However, he denied five of seven break points and limited the damage. Mayot could not follow that pace in his games. The Frenchman dropped over half of the points in his games and suffered six breaks from nine chances presented to a teenager.
The Brazilian made a push on the return in the first game of the duel. He fired a forehand winner on the second break point, delivering an early break and moving in front. The young gun denied a break point in the next one with a backhand winner and held for 2-0.
Joao had to work even harder in the fourth game after offering his opponent three break points. A teenager denied them with service winners and held for 3-1. Fonseca stepped in on the return in the fifth game and secured another break with a forehand winner.
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Harold extended the set with a hold at love in game seven. However, Joao wrapped up the first part of the duel with a volley winner in game eight, moving 6-2 up after 34 minutes. Fonseca secured a break at the beginning of the second set to extend his lead.
Instead of building on that, the Brazilian suffered two straight breaks and fell 3-1 behind. The Next Gen ATP Finals winner launched his comeback in the fifth game, firing a backhand crosscourt winner and reducing the deficit. Fonseca closed the sixth game after deuces, locking the result at 3-3.
The young gun fired a forehand winner in the seventh game for his second straight break and a 4-3 advantage. A teenager painted a forehand winner in the eighth game for a hold at love and 5-3. Mayot served to stay in the match in game nine.
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The Brazilian landed a backhand down the line winner for three match points. He seized the second after the rival's backhand error, collecting his fifth Challenger semi-final at 18. Joao will seek the final spot against the 6th seed, Jacob Fearnley, in what should be a cracker.
