Next Gen Finals Preview: Unbeaten Joao Fonseca faces Learner Tien for the title and $153,000

Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien emerged as the finalists of the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals this Saturday, after overcoming tough semifinal matches. Both players are making their debut in the tournament and will compete for a $153,000 prize to add to their earnings so far.

The 18-year-old Brazilian Fonseca defeated Luca van Assche in a dominant semifinal performance (4-2, 4-2, 4-1), advancing to the final unbeaten. In the group stage, he scored notable victories over Arthur Fils (No. 20) and Jakub Mensik (No. 48), as well as against his upcoming opponent, Tien. The American also defeated Fils and Mensik, the group’s favorites, and recently triumphed over Alex Michelsen (No. 41) in the semifinals.

Fonseca, ranked No. 145, was the last to qualify, entering as the 8th seed. Despite his ranking, he was considered the player to beat, being the youngest participant in the tournament, born in 2006. He has delivered an extraordinary level of play, advancing to the final undefeated. The former junior No. 1 has long been considered one of the sport’s top future prospects.

His breakthrough came at the ATP 500 Rio Open, where he reached the quarterfinals after defeating Arthur Fils and former champion Christian Garin. Fonseca spent much of the year on the Challenger Tour but impressed when competing in higher-level tournaments.

Fonseca was the only player to advance from Round Robin unbeaten, once again proving his remarkable form by dispatching Luca Van Assche with ease (4-2, 4-2, 4-1), never facing a break point.

The final will feature Fonseca against Learner Tien (No. 123), born in 2005 and entering as the 5th seed. This will be a rematch of the 2023 US Open Junior final, where Fonseca triumphed 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, marking Tien's second loss in a junior Grand Slam final this year.

Tien, however, looks destined for success. This year, he became the fourth American to win three ATP Challenger titles before turning 19, following Taylor Fritz, Andy Roddick, and Sam Querrey. He has had a stellar second half of the year, with 21 wins and only 5 losses in Challenger events since the US Open, adding to his three victories at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Tien's debut at the event saw him surprise many by defeating one of the favorites, Jakub Mensik (No. 48), recently crowned Newcomer of the Year, in a tight match that ended in a 5th-set tiebreak [10-8].

The Fonseca-Tien rivalry has played out a few times before. At the junior French Open, the American defeated the Brazilian 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. Later, Fonseca got his revenge with a comeback victory in the US Open Junior final. The two also faced off just three days ago in Round Robin, where Fonseca dominated for most of the match.

The Brazilian actually won the first 8 games consecutively, closing two sets in just over 30 minutes. Tien briefly responded, breaking in the third set – his only opportunity of the match – but it wasn’t enough. Fonseca closed the match with a 4-0, 4-0, 1-4, 4-2 victory.