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Joao Fonseca made a flying start at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires. The young Brazilian faced Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round and notched a 6-3, 6-3 triumph in an hour and 25 minutes.
Joao fired up his forehand and fired 35 winners and 25 unforced errors. The 18-year-old controlled the pace and outplayed his rival from the baseline. The Argentine played better behind the first serve. However, he took only six points behind the second serve and plagued his chances.
Fonseca faced only two break points and got broken once. A teenager grabbed 46% of the return points and turned them into four breaks from nine opportunities.
The opening set was fast and fluid. Joao grabbed a break in the middle of it and defended a break point at 5-3 for the advantage. The young gun fired two forehand winners at the beginning of the duel and closed the opening game with a drop shot winner.
Fonseca landed another drop shot winner in the fifth game for 3-2 and made a push on the return in the next one. A teenager landed a forehand down the line winner for break points and cracked a backhand crosscourt winner on the first for a break and a 4-2 lead.
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Joao cemented the break with a crafty slice winner in game seven and served for the set at 5-3. He sprayed a forehand error and offered his rival his first break point. Tomas Martin could not endure the pressure, missing it after a forced error.
The young gun fired a forehand crosscourt winner on a set point, wrapping up the opener 6-3 in 36 minutes. Tomas Martin squandered a game point at the beginning of the second set and sent a routine forehand wide to drop serve and fall a set and a break behind.
Joao hit a double fault on a break point in the second game, losing serve for the only time and bringing his opponent back to the positive side. Etcheverry faced the ultimate test in the fifth game. He saved three break points and held after the rival's slice error for a 3-2 advantage.
The Brazilian held at 3-3 with a hold at 15 and stepped in on the return in the next one. The young gun landed a backhand down the line winner for three break points and welcomed the opponent's backhand error on the last to grab a break and move in front.
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Fonseca held at 15 in the eighth game and made another push on the return at 5-3. A teenager earned a match point and seized it with a forehand winner, moving over the top in style and reaching the second round.
