Joao Fonseca, a rising star in tennis, has faced a setback in his 2026 season. The young Brazilian, who had an impressive 2025 campaign, has been dealing with lower back issues since his training in Brisbane. After skipping the opening week of the season, he also withdrew from the Adelaide tournament, joining Novak Djokovic on the list of absentees.
Fonseca, who wrapped up the 2025 campaign in the top 25, had a setback while training with Tomas Machac in Brisbane. The teenager had to skip Brisbane and Adelaide, working hard on fixing the issue and hoping to get ready for the Australian Open, which starts in eight days. With the first Major of the season just around the corner, the young gun does not want to risk anything.
Although he felt better in Adelaide, he decided to skip another week and rest his back. Joao will try to get back at 100% for the first Major of the season, where he made a name for himself a year ago. Fonseca started the 2025 season with the Canberra Challenger title before storming through the Australian Open qualifying draw. In his first match at Majors, he faced Andrey Rublev and provided a notable victory.
The Brazilian claimed his first ATP title in Buenos Aires a couple of weeks later, becoming one of the youngest champions on the ATP Tour since 1990. As was expected, there were ups and downs in his first season on the ATP Tour. However, the youngster collected valuable experience ahead of 2026, preparing for another strong run if he remains injury-free. Joao would love to crack the top 15 this season, which is very likely if he provides his A-game on the notable scene.
Fonseca lifted the ATP 500 crown in Basel in the closing weeks of the season before embracing an exhibition match with Carlos Alcaraz in Miami in December. Now, the youngster battles against time to get ready for Melbourne, and we wish him all the best. "Unfortunately, I had to withdraw from the Adelaide tournament. I'm experiencing back pain and trying to recover as quickly as possible to be back at 100% on the court. I wanted to thank the fans for all the support and messages, and we will certainly return stronger on the court," Joao Fonseca said.
